hydroxyzine hydrochloride
hydroxyzine pamoate
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