Ketotifen

Ketotifen is a antihistamine & mast cell stabiliser medicine available in Bangladesh under many brand names. Below are its uses, side effects and precautions — and every brand with its current price.

• Prophylaxis (prevention) of bronchial asthma, especially in children
• Wheezy bronchitis and allergic cough
• Allergic rhinitis (sneezing, runny and itchy nose)
• Allergic conjunctivitis (itchy, watery eyes)
• Skin allergies including urticaria (hives) and itching

Drowsiness is the most common side effect, especially in the first one to two weeks, and usually lessens as the body adjusts. Other effects include dry mouth, dizziness, and — particularly in children — increased appetite with weight gain over months of use. Some children instead become irritable or excitable. Less common effects include sleep disturbance and stomach upset. Tell your doctor if drowsiness affects school performance or daily activities, or if any unusual behaviour change appears.

Expect drowsiness early in treatment: avoid driving, operating machinery, or other tasks needing alertness until you know how Ketotifen affects you, and watch how children respond before school activities. Avoid alcohol and other sedating medicines, which add to the sleepiness. Ketotifen may rarely lower the seizure threshold, so use cautiously in epilepsy. Diabetic patients should note that some syrup formulations contain sugar. Keep using your reliever inhaler and other asthma medicines as prescribed — ketotifen does not replace them.

Ketotifen increases the sedative effect of alcohol, sleeping pills, anxiolytics, opioid pain medicines, and other sedating antihistamines — avoid these combinations. A specific caution: taken with oral antidiabetic medicines, ketotifen has rarely been associated with a fall in platelet counts, so doctors may monitor blood counts in diabetic patients. It may also mask positive skin allergy test results; stop it some days before allergy testing as advised. Inform your doctor of all medicines being taken, especially for children.

Ketotifen must not be used by anyone with known hypersensitivity to it. It is not recommended during breastfeeding, and syrup use in infants below the age stated by the manufacturer (commonly under 6 months to 1 year depending on product) should only follow a doctor's decision. Patients with a history of epilepsy should generally avoid it unless the doctor judges otherwise.

Pregnancy: Safety in pregnancy is not fully established. Ketotifen should be used only if the doctor considers it clearly necessary, and many doctors prefer alternatives with longer safety records. Lactation: Ketotifen passes into breast milk and may sedate the baby, so it is generally avoided while breastfeeding. Discuss allergy and asthma management with your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing.

Store below 30°C in a dry place, protected from light. Keep syrup bottles tightly closed and use within the time stated on the label after opening. Keep all forms out of the reach of children — the syrup tastes sweet and can attract them — and never use after the expiry date.