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hydroxyzine embonate‡
Atarax

hydroxyzine hydrochloride
Apo-Hydroxyzine†, Atarax*, Hyzine-50, Multipax†, Novo-Hydroxyzin†, QYS, Ucerax§, Vistacon-50, Vistaject-50, Vistaril, Vistazine 50

hydroxyzine pamoate
Vistaril

Pregnancy Risk Category NR

How supplied
hydroxyzine embonate

Capsules:
25 mg, 50 mg
hydroxyzine hydrochloride

Tablets:
10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg
Capsules:
10 mg†‡, 25 mg†‡, 50 mg†‡
Syrup:
10 mg/5 ml
Injection:
25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml
hydroxyzine pamoate

Capsules:
25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg
Oral suspension:
25 mg/5 ml

Action
Unknown. A piperazine antihistamine whose action may be due to a suppression of activity in certain key regions of the subcortical area of the CNS.

Indications & dosage
Anxiety--

Adults:
50 to 100 mg P.O. q.i.d.
Children under age 6:
50 mg P.O. daily in divided doses.
Children ages 6 and older:
50 to 100 mg P.O. daily in divided doses.
Preoperative and postoperative adjunctive therapy--

Adults:
25 to 100 mg I.M. q 4 to 6 hours.
Children:
1.1 mg/kg I.M. q 4 to 6 hours.
Pruritus due to allergies--

Adults:
25 mg P.O. t.i.d. or q.i.d.
Children under age 6:
50 mg P.O. daily in divided doses.
Children ages 6 and older:
50 to 100 mg P.O. daily in divided doses.
Psychiatric and emotional emergencies, including acute alcoholism--

Adults:
50 to 100 mg I.M. q 4 to 6 hours, p.r.n.
Nausea and vomiting (excluding nausea and vomiting of pregnancy)--

Adults:
25 to 100 mg I.M.
Children:
1.1 mg/kg I.M.
Antepartum and postpartum adjunctive therapy--

Adults:
25 to 100 mg I.M.

Adverse reactions
CNS:
drowsiness, involuntary motor activity.
GI:
dry mouth.
Other:
marked discomfort at I.M. injection site, hypersensitivity reactions.

Interactions
Drug-drug.
CNS depressants: increased CNS depression. Avoid concomitant use.
Drug-lifestyle.
Alcohol use: increased CNS depression. Avoid concomitant use.

Effects on diagnostic tests
Drug therapy causes falsely elevated urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroid levels. It also may cause false-negative skin allergen tests by attenuating or inhibiting the cutaneous response to histamine.

Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to drug, during early pregnancy, and in breast-feeding women.

Nursing considerations

Patient teaching

*Liquid contains alcohol. **May contain tartrazine.  †Canada  ‡Australia  §U.K.  OTCOver the counter
Reactions may be common, uncommon, life-threatening, or COMMON AND LIFE-THREATENING

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