Aerius 5 mg film-coated tablets

Aerius is an antiallergy medicine that does not make you drowsy. It helps control your allergic reaction and its symptoms.

Aerius relieves symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages caused by an allergy, for example, hay fever or allergy to dust mites). These symptoms include sneezing, runny or itchy nose, itchy palate, and itchy, red or watery eyes.

Aerius is also used to relieve the symptoms associated with urticaria (a skin condition caused by an allergy). These symptoms include itching and hives.

Relief of these symptoms lasts a full day and helps you to resume your normal daily activities and sleep.

Do not take Aerius

• if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to desloratadine, to any of the other ingredients of Aerius or to loratadine. Aerius is indicated for adults and adolescents (12 years of age and older).

Take special care with Aerius

• if you have poor kidney function.

If this applies to you, or if you are not sure, please check with your doctor before taking Aerius.

Taking other medicines

There are no known interactions of Aerius with other medicines.

Taking Aerius with food and drink
Aerius may be taken with or without a meal.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
If you are pregnant or nursing a baby, taking Aerius is not recommended.

Driving and using machines
At the recommended dose, Aerius is not expected to cause you to be drowsy or less alert. However, very rarely some people experience drowsiness, which may affect their ability to drive or use machines.

Important information about some of the ingredients of Aerius
Aerius tablets contain lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.

Adults and adolescents (12 years of age and older): take one tablet once a day.
Swallow the tablet whole with water, with or without food.

Regarding the duration of treatment, your physician will determine the type of allergic rhinitis you are suffering from and will determine for how long you should take Aerius.
If your allergic rhinitis is intermittent (presence of symptoms for less than 4 days per week or for less than 4 weeks), your physician will recommend you a treatment schedule that will depend on the evaluation of the history of your disease.
If your allergic rhinitis is persistent (presence of symptoms for 4 days or more per week and for more than 4 weeks), your physician may recommend you a longer term treatment.

For urticaria, the duration of treatment may be variable from patient to patient and therefore you should follow the instructions of your physician.

If you take more Aerius than you should

Take Aerius only as it is prescribed for you. No serious problems are expected with accidental overdose. However, if you take more Aerius than you were told to, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

If you forget to take Aerius
If you forget to take your dose on time, take it as soon as possible, then go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

Like all medicines, Aerius can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. In adults, side effects were about the same as with a dummy tablet. However, fatigue, dry mouth and headache were reported more often than with a dummy tablet. In adolescents, headache was the most commonly reported side effect.

During the marketing of Aerius, cases of severe allergic reactions (difficulty in breathing, wheezing, itching, hives and swelling) and rash have been reported very rarely. Cases of palpitations, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain, nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhoea, dizziness, drowsiness, inability to sleep, muscle pain, hallucinations, seizures, restlessness with increased body movement, liver inflammation and abnormal liver function tests have also been reported very rarely.

If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
Do not store above 30°C. Store in the original package.
Do not use Aerius after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and blister. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Tell your pharmacist if you notice any change in the appearance of the tablets.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.

What Aerius contains

• The active substance is desloratadine 5 mg
• The other ingredients of the tablet are calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, maize starch, talc. Tablet coating contains film coat (containing lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, macrogol 400, indigotin (E132)), clear coat (containing hypromellose, macrogol 400), carnauba wax, white wax.

What Aerius looks like and contents of the pack

Aerius 5 mg film-coated tablets are packed in unit dose blisters in packs of 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 15, 20, 21, 30, 50, 90 or 100 tablets.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorisation Holder: SP Europe, Rue de Stalle 73, B-1180 Bruxelles, Belgium.

Manufacturer: SP Labo N.V., Industriepark 30, B-2220 Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium.

For any information about this medicinal product, please contact the local representative of the Marketing Authorisation Holder:

BelgiëBelgiqueBelgien Rue de StalleStallestraat 73 B-1180 BruxellesBrusselBrüssel TélTel 32-02 370 92 11 LuxembourgLuxemburg Rue de Stalle 73 B-1180 BruxellesBrüssel BelgiqueBelgien TélTel 32-02 370 92 11

. 359 2 819 3737 info-msdbgmerck.com Magyarország Alkotás u. 53. H-1123 Budapest Tel. 36 1 457-8500

eská republika Ke tvanici 3 CZ-186 00 Praha 8 Tel 420 221771250 Malta Associated Drug Co. Ltd Triq l-Esportaturi Mriehel Birkirkara BKR 3000 Tel. 35622778000

Danmark Lautrupbjerg 2 DK-2750 Ballerup Tlf 45-44 39 50 00 Nederland Merck Sharp Dohme BV Tel 31 0800 9999000 31 23 5153153 medicalinfo.nlmerck.com

Norge Pb. 398 N-1326 Lysaker Tlf 47 67 16 64 50 Deutschland Thomas-Dehler-Straße 27 D-81737 München Tel 49-089 627 31-0 Infoessex-pharma.de

Eesti A. H. Tammsaare tee 47 EE-11316 Tallinn Tel 372 6139 750 Österreich Merck Sharp Dohme Ges.m.b.H. Tel 43 0 1 26 044 msd-medizinmerck.com

MSD ..... 30 210 98 97 300 cora.greece.gragcmmerck.com Polska Ul. Tamowa 7 PL-02-677 Warszawa Tel. 48-022 478 41 50

España Merck Sharp Dohme de España, S.A. Tel 34 91 321 06 00 msdinfomerck.com Portugal Rua Agualva dos Açores 16 P-2735-557 Agualva-Cacém Tel 351-21 433 93 00

France 34 avenue Léonard de Vinci F-92400 Courbevoie Tél 33-01 80 46 40 40 România os. Bucureti-Ploieti, nr. 17-21, Bneasa Center, et. 8, sector 1 RO-013682 Bucureti Tel. 40 21 233 35 30

Slovenija Dunajska 22 SI-1000 Ljubljana Tel 386 01 3001070 Ireland Merck Sharp and Dohme Ireland Human Health Limited Tel 353 01 2998700 medinfoirelandmerck.com

Ísland Hörgatún 2 IS-210 Garðabær Sími 354 535 70 00 Slovenská republika Strakova 5 SK-811 01 Bratislava Tel 421 2 5920 2712

SuomiFinland PL 46PB 46 FIN-02151 EspooEsbo PuhTel 358 09 804 650 Italia Via fratelli Cervi snc, Centro Direzionale Milano Due Palazzo Borromini I-20090 Segrate Milano Tel 39-02 21018.1

Sverige Merck Sharp Dohme Sweden AB Tel 46 77 5700488 medicinskinfomerck.com Merck Sharp Dohme Cyprus Limited. . 800 00 673 357 22866700 cyprusinfomerck.com

Latvija Skanstes iela 13 Rga, LV-1013 Tel 371-67364224 United Kingdom Merck Sharp and Dohme Limited Tel 44 0 1992 467272 medicalinformationukmerck.com

Lietuva

K-stu-io g. 59/27
LT-08124 Vilnius
Tel. + 370 52 101868

This leaflet was last approved on