How to Treat Chronic Hives in Women, Children, Older Adults, And During Pregnancy

In this episode of the Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Innovations podcast, we look at what the recent chronic hives guidelines say about special populations. These are groups who may need extra care when choosing a treatment, like during pregnancy and breastfeeding. They include children, older adults, and people with more than one health condition. 

Hosts Payel Gupta, MD, and Kortney, a patient advocate, are joined by allergist and immunologist Allison Ramsey, MD. Together, they talk about how chronic hives can look and feel different at each stage of life, from childhood to pregnancy to older age, and what that means for choosing a treatment.

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Listen to CU Treatment in Special Populations

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Thank you to Novartis and Genentech for supporting this podcast episode.

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Any mention of brands is also informational and not an endorsement. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical questions or concerns.

Key Takeaways About Chronic Hives in Special Populations

Most people with chronic hives (also called chronic spontaneous urticaria, or CSU) have the same treatment plan. But some groups need extra care. Here is what the recent guidelines say about these groups.

  • Chronic hives are not caused by something you did. CSU starts inside the body with the immune system, not from a food, product, or something in the environment.
  • Women are more likely to have chronic hives. About 70% of people with CSU are women, likely because of how hormones like estrogen affect the immune system.
  • Hive medicine during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Data on non-drowsy antihistamines shows they are safe to take. Research also shows biologics are likely safe. 
  • Older adults need extra care with side effects. Higher antihistamine doses can cause sleepiness, which can raise the risk of falls. You also want to make sure hives medicines don’t interact with other medications. 
  • Children are different. Most hives in children are caused by viruses and go away quickly, but when hives are chronic, they often respond well to antihistamines.
  • One treatment may help more than one condition. If you also have asthma, eczema, nasal polyps, or food allergy, some biologics can treat more than one of these at the same time.

Timestamps for this Episode About Chronic Hives In Special Populations

02:21 — How a doctor explains chronic hives

05:51 — What “special populations” means

06:30 — Why women get chronic hives more often

08:37 — What doctors think about when treating women

09:51 — Planning a pregnancy when you have chronic hives

15:11 — Hives medicine and breastfeeding

15:58 — Chronic hives after menopause

16:57 — Chronic hives in people over 65

19:45 — Chronic hives and other health conditions

23:15 — Chronic hives in kids

26:17 — Why the guidelines have a section for these groups

More Resources about Chronic Hives

Podcasts about CSU