Atarax (Hydroxyzine Hydrochloride) - Summary

ATARAX SUMMARY

ATARAX®
hydroxyzine hydrochloride
TABLETS AND SYRUP

Hydroxyzine hydrochloride is designated chemically as 1-(p-chlorobenzhydryl) 4-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-ethyl] piperazine dihydrochloride.

Atarax (hydroxyzine) is indicated for the following:

For symptomatic relief of anxiety and tension associated with psychoneurosis and as an adjunct in organic disease states in which anxiety is manifested.

Useful in the management of pruritus due to allergic conditions such as chronic urticaria and atopic and contact dermatoses, and in histamine-mediated pruritus.

As a sedative when used as premedication and following general anesthesia, Hydroxyzine may potentiate meperidine (Demerol®) and barbiturates, so their use in pre-anesthetic adjunctive therapy should be modified on an individual basis. Atropine and other belladonna alkaloids are not affected by the drug. Hydroxyzine is not known to interfere with the action of digitalis in any way and it may be used concurrently with this agent.

The effectiveness of hydroxyzine as an antianxiety agent for long term use, that is more than 4 months, has not been assessed by systematic clinical studies. The physician should reassess periodically the usefulness of the drug for the individual patient.

See all Atarax indications & dosage >>

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Published Studies Related to Atarax (Hydroxyzine)

Short-term effects of morning versus evening dose of hydroxyzine 50 mg on cognition in healthy volunteers. [2011.06]
It is well known that the sedative properties of antihistamines can differ considerably between individual drugs... It is concluded that hydroxyzine-induced impairment at tmax is more prominent after morning doses compared with evening doses and that the present study could not present direct evidence to substantiate the hypothesis that histamine availability inversely affects the magnitude of antihistamine impairment.

[Effects of hydroxyzine on tolerance of facial mask during induction in children] [2010.01]
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of hydroxyzine as a premedication agent for the acceptance of facial mask during induction of general anaesthesia in children... CONCLUSION: Hydroxyzine provided better acceptance of facial mask than placebo during induction of general anaesthesia in children. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Comparison of peripheral and central effects of single and repeated oral dose administrations of bilastine, a new H1 antihistamine: a dose-range study in healthy volunteers with hydroxyzine and placebo as control treatments. [2008.12]
Peripheral anti-H1 and central nervous system (CNS) activities after single (day 1) and repeated (day 7) administrations of increasing doses of bilastine (BIL) were assessed in 20 healthy volunteers throughout a crossover, randomized, double-blind, placebo (PLA)-controlled study... The 40-mg dose of BIL produced subjective report of sedation, whereas unwanted objective CNS side effects were observed only with the 80-mg dose.

Hydroxyzine and cetirizine pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics after oral and intravenous administration of hydroxyzine to healthy dogs. [2008.12]
Pharmacokinetic parameters of hydroxyzine and its active metabolite cetirizine were determined after oral and intravenous administration of 2 mg kg(-1) of hydroxyzine to six healthy dogs. Plasma drug levels were determined with high-pressure liquid chromatography... Pharmacodynamic modelling predicted that maximal antihistamine effect would occur with twice daily oral administration of hydroxyzine at 2 mg kg(-1).

Histamine H1 blocker hydroxyzine improves sleep in patients with cirrhosis and minimal hepatic encephalopathy: a randomized controlled pilot trial. [2007.04]
OBJECTIVES: Sleep difficulty is common in minimal hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and the mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Dysregulated histamine neurotransmission is associated with an altered circadian rhythmicity that is partially restored following central histamine H1 receptor blockade in cirrhotic animals. We studied the effects of the histamine H1 blocker hydroxyzine in sleep alterations in patients with cirrhosis in a double-blind, randomized controlled fashion... CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to placebo, hydroxyzine 25 mg at bedtime improved sleep behavior (subjectively and using wrist actigraphy) in patients with cirrhosis and minimal HE. The risk of precipitating overt HE warrants some caution when prescribing this drug.

more studies >>

Clinical Trials Related to Atarax (Hydroxyzine)

Levocetirizine Plus Bed-Time Hydroxyzine in the Management of Corticodependent Chronic Urticaria Versus Both Drugs Alone in High Doses [Recruiting]
Allen Kaplan is a prominent American allergist with the reputation of leader in the field of chronic urticaria. He advocates treatment with first generation hydroxyzine, which he considers at least as effective as modern second generation H1-blockers in suppressing the symptoms of difficult-to-treat / systemic-steroid-dependant cases of chronic urticaria. He further speculates that hydroxyzine may have the advantage to better suppress itch and improve nighttime sleep. This has prompted many practitioners around the world to believe that adding hydroxyzine to the treatment regimen at bed time at night may be beneficial to patients. At the same time European guidelines indicate modern second generation H1-blockers in higher than conventional doses as drugs of choice for such cases. However, there is no evidence from clinical trials addressing this controversy. The investigators' previous studies suggest that levocetirizine at quadruple doses may be beneficial in difficult to treat urticaria by reducing lesions and itch, improving quality of life and night time sleep, while not causing day time somnolence. First generation H1-receptor antagonists and hydroxyzine among them are known to penetrate the blood / brain barrier and to cause sedation. The question stays whether this sedation is beneficial to the subjects with chronic urticaria at night, whether it has any hang-over unwanted effects the following day and whether this has any influence on the overall urticaria-specific quality of life.

Does Hydroxyzine Decrease Anxiety in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa Study [Not yet recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of hydroxyzine in the treatment of meal-related anxiety in children and adolescents 8 to 17 years of age diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. The investigators want to find out if hydroxyzine given before meals will improve meal-related anxiety compared to no hydroxyzine.

Pain and Anxiety Management of Traumatic Emergency in a Pre-hospital Setting [Recruiting]
Unexpected acute pain in an emergency setting causes anxiety, insecurity, and stress that can diminish perceptions of control over pain and diminish ability to decrease pain. This may interfere with the opioid treatment and poses the question of whether an anxiolytic drug added to the morphine titration could relief pain and/or anxiety. This randomized double-blind group clinical trial is designed to determine the efficacy and safety of hydroxyzine in addition to a conventional intravenous morphine titration protocol.

Comparative Effects of Rupatadine 10 mg, Hydroxyzine 50 mg and Placebo on Actual Driving Performance [Terminated]
The primary objective of this study is to measure and compare the acute effects of rupatadine 10 mg, relative to placebo and hydroxyzine 50 mg as an active control on healthy volunteers’ performance on a standard over-the-road driving test and a car-following test.

A Bioequivalence Study of Docetaxel for Injectable Emulsion (ANX-514) in Patients With Advanced Cancer [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to compare an injectable emulsion form of docetaxel to Taxotere in patients with advanced cancer.

more trials >>

Reports of Suspected Atarax (Hydroxyzine) Side Effects

Suicide Attempt (25),  Cardiac Arrest (22),  Electrocardiogram QT Prolonged (21),  Somnolence (19),  Malaise (18),  Drug Rash With Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (17),  Toxic Skin Eruption (17),  Renal Failure Acute (13),  Gamma-Glutamyltransferase Increased (11),  Confusional State (10), more >>

PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTS

Atarax review by 57 year old male patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Highly Effective
Side effects:		No Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		itching/psosiasis
Dosage & duration:		25mg taken 2 times dayly for the period of 35yrs
Other conditions:		hypertention, diabetes, AS
Other drugs taken:		lyrica,gemfibrozol,glipizide,lasix,amlodipine,asprin,lisinopril,januvia,lipitor
		Reported Results
Benefits:		It calms down the need to scratch,,gives me the ability to sleep at night,,,it also relieves my alergy symptoms(cough,sneezing,running nose)in general,,it keeps me from going out of my mind...When I don't use itthe itching will drive me up the wall. It mellows my mood,allowing me to act and react with others..
Side effects:		After reading all of the side affects listed on this website,,I conclude I had no sideaffects from Atarax
Comments:		I have been taking one or two 25mg Atarax for 35 years

Atarax review by 28 year old male patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Ineffective
Side effects:		Mild Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		anxiety
Dosage & duration:		25mg taken 3 times a day for the period of 2 months
Other conditions:		insomnia
Other drugs taken:		none
		Reported Results
Benefits:		oh there was benefits, I did not have allergys and my my heart rate was down.
Side effects:		There was dry mouth and some insomnia.. I also felt I was having anxiety attacks
Comments:		Well, it all started back when I was fishing for jims and johns google which nothing seemed static relativity bound night train into fox holes stuck like glue into a world of hybrid horses, far from the eye can see in marlboro land once before the blue moon on the buildings outer limit limo taxi service system.

Atarax review by 28 year old male patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Ineffective
Side effects:		Mild Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		anxiety
Dosage & duration:		25mg taken 3 times a day for the period of 2 months
Other conditions:		insomnia
Other drugs taken:		none
		Reported Results
Benefits:		oh there was benefits, I did not have allergys and my my heart rate was down.
Side effects:		There was dry mouth and some insomnia.. I also felt I was having anxiety attacks
Comments:		Well, it all started back when I was fishing for jims and johns google which nothing seemed static relativity bound night train into fox holes stuck like glue into a world of hybrid horses, far from the eye can see in marlboro land once before the blue moon on the buildings outer limit limo taxi service system.