Hydroxyzine - Atarax and Vistaril is the brand names among others is a prescription antihistamine medication. Hydroxyzine is a prescription antihistamine that belongs to the first-generation histamine H1-receptor antagonist. Hydroxyzine (Vistaril) often chosen by healthcare providers for short-term treatment to cure medical conditions like anxiety. If you have itching and related symptoms, hydroxyzine can help cure and manage it efficiently. Caregivers even administer Hydroxyzine as a sedative before and after general anesthesia.
Hydroxyzine - what it does?
Potent inverse agonists (histamine H1-receptors) are agents possessing negative efficacy. Hydroxyzine belongs to this category. Hydroxyzine treats several medical conditions like insomnia, itchiness, anxiety, and nausea. It is available in oral form taken by mouth or vaccination - injected into a muscle. Hydroxyzine offers the patient good rest and sleep much before a surgery. It also helps control anxiety in individuals undergoing treatment. In addition, hydroxyzine treats symptoms of allergic conditions. This includes conditions such as chronic urticaria and atopic / contact dermatoses.
Mechanism of action – Hydroxyzine
Hydroxyzine (antihistamine) reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in your body. Histamine produces symptoms of itching, or hives on your skin. Hydroxyzine treats allergic skin reactions that include contact dermatitis or hives.
This is because its prime property as it functions to decrease the activity in the central nervous system. Healthcare providers choose to prescribe Hydroxyzine along with other medications in combination especially for patients during general anesthesia and after as well.
The H1 histamine receptor hydroxyzine is responsible for mediating allergic reactions and hypersensitivity. The exposure to allergen leads to degranulation of mast cells and basophils. This releases substances like histamine along with other inflammatory mediators.
Histamine releases the pro-inflammatory cytokines namely interleukins from mast cells and basophils as it binds to and activates the H1 receptors. These downstream effects of histamine binding are accountable for a wide variety of allergic symptoms like rhinorrhea, watery eyes, and pruritus.
Hydroxyzine being a potent inverse agonist actively dampens the receptor activity rather than simply blocking its activity. Hydroxyzine’s efficacy relies completely on the inverse agonism at these receptors as these are responsible for the treatment of histaminic flare, edema, and pruritus.
Hydroxyzine dosage
Several factors contribute to the quantity of dosage you need to consume. It depends on factors like your age, medical condition, and your system’s response to the medication i.e. your immunity. For most adult individuals, they can take a dosage level of 25 mg and 100 mg of hydroxyzine. This quantity can be taken 3 to 4 times per day.
There are just two salt forms of hydroxyzine. One is the Vistaril i.e. hydroxyzine pamoate and hydroxyzine hydrochloride. Moreover, there are different dosage strengths for each type of hydroxyzine. Therefore, you get the 25 mg and 50 mg capsule form of hydroxyzine pamoate. It is available only in these dosage quantities. Hydroxyzine hydrochloride is available in different dosage strengths like the 10 mg, 25 mg, and 50 mg tablets. You can also get hydroxyzine hydrochloride in an oral syrup (liquid) form that contains 10 mg of hydroxyzine for each 5 mL.
To efficiently use hydroxyzine, you can discuss with your healthcare team if your symptoms fail to improve or you require a long-term solution.
Precautions to follow when using Hydroxyzine
You need to follow certain safety measures before you plan to take this medicine hydroxyzine. You should avoid taking this med if you are allergic to it, or if you suffer from long QT syndrome. In addition, it is good to avoid this drug if you are allergic to cetirizine (Zyrtec) or levocetirizine (Xyzal).
Hydroxyzine could cause childbirth defects and even harm the baby in the womb. It is always a recommendation that you consult your caregiver before planning to take hydroxyzine if you are pregnant.
Moreover, to make sure this drug is safe, you need to inform your caregiver if you have the medical conditions that include:
Glaucoma, a recent heart attack, slow heartbeat or a heart disease, blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines), electrolyte imbalance (high or low levels of potassium in your blood), bladder obstruction or other urination problems, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, any personal or family history of long QT syndrome, and so on.
No clinical trials / researches so far has confirmed that whether hydroxyzine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Therefore, it is important that you consult your gynecologist before breastfeeding if you are on treatment using hydroxyzine. In addition, you should never self-medicate this drug to your child without proper medical advice and guidance.
Can I take 2 hydroxyzine 25 mg at the same time?
A 25mg hydroxyzine is a safe quantity to consume. The dosage strength you consume depends on the purpose of treatment. However, if your medical condition requires one 25 mg dose of hydroxyzine at regular intervals, then you should not take two 25 mg hydroxyzine at the same time. Not all medical conditions respond well to the same dosage strength.
For sleep disorder, a 25mg dosage strength of hydroxyzine during bedtime may decrease your sleep onset time. For treating anxiety, tension, atopic and contact dermatoses, and chronic urticarial, you can consume similar dosage levels.
You can well take a 25 mg dose 4 times a day based on the medical condition you treat. Hydroxyzine adult dosage can go up to 100 mg per day. However, you should consume this medicine only as directed by your healthcare provider. You should never overdose yourself with this medication and should not take it more often than required. Moreover, you should not take it for a longer duration.
Side effects of Hydroxyzine
You could probably experience a few side effects from taking hydroxyzine. You might feel dizzy or get a feeling of fainting. There could even be variations in your heart rhythm like a fast heartbeat, pounding or uneven heartrate, and so on. You should reveal to your healthcare provider if you or anyone in your family has ever had a QT prolongation i.e. a heart rhythm complaint. Hydroxyzine could possibly even caused Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) – a serious skin condition
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