Author: Charles Frank

Vistaril Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing

Cases of QT prolongation and Torsade de Pointes have been reported during post-marketing use of hydroxyzine. The majority of reports occurred in patients with other risk factors for QT prolongation/TdP (pre-existing heart disease, electrolyte imbalances or concomitant arrhythmogenic drug use). Hydroxyzine comes as capsules, tablets, a syrup, and suspension to take by mouth. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.

The recommended dose of Vistaril for treating itch (pruritus) is 25 mg, 3 or 4 times daily. The dose to treat anxiety and tension is 50 to 100 mg 4 times daily. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.

Analogues of hydroxyzine include buclizine, cetirizine, cinnarizine, cyclizine, etodroxizine, meclizine, and pipoxizine among others. Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed.

Other reported signs and symptoms were convulsions, stupor, nausea and vomiting. As in the management of overdosage with any drug, it should be borne in mind that multiple agents may have been taken. Our Vistaril (hydroxyzine pamoate) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed. Hydroxyzine will stay in your system for about 100 hours, on average, but its clinical effect may wear off before this time. The half-life of a drug is the time it takes for the plasma (blood) concentration to be reduced by 50% from its original value.

Before taking this medicine

Avoid cetirizine or levocetirizine in patients who have experienced AGEP or other hypersensitivity reactions with hydroxyzine, due to the risk of cross-sensitivity. A determination has not been made whether controlled clinical studies of VISTARIL included sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to define a difference in response from younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products.

1. Bronchodilator activity, and antihistaminic and analgesic effects have been demonstrated experimentally and confirmed clinically.
2. It is doubtful that hemodialysis would be of any value in the treatment of overdosage with hydroxyzine.
3. Hydroxyzine, when administered to the pregnant mouse, rat, and rabbit, induced fetal abnormalities in the rat and mouse at doses substantially above the human therapeutic range.
4. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products.
5. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions.
6. Hydroxyzine may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation).

Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Caution is recommended during the concomitant use of drugs known to prolong the QT interval. Side effects reported with the administration of Vistaril are usually mild and transitory in nature.

How to take Vistaril (Hydroxyzine)?

Follow the instructions on your prescription label carefully when taking this medicine. Your symptoms will likely improve within hours of taking this medicine. You should not take this medicine for longer than 4 months. Call your doctor if your anxiety symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse. Use Vistaril (Hydroxyzine) exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor.

It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. This medication may impair your thinking or reactions.

Hydroxyzine is used in adults and children to relieve itching caused by allergic skin reactions. It is also used alone or with other medications in adults and children to relieve anxiety and tension. Hydroxyzine is also used along with other medications in adults and children as a sedative before and after general anesthesia for surgery. Hydroxyzine is in a class of medications called antihistamines. It works by blocking the action of histamine a substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms.

Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Hydroxyzine is a medicine used to treat itching caused by an allergic reaction. It’s also taken to relieve anxiety or tension and as a sedative for surgery before and after general anesthesia. The dosage is based on your age, medical condition, and response to treatment. In children, the dosage may also be based on weight. Do not increase your dose or take this medication more often than directed.

How long does hydroxyzine stay in your system?

You should not use hydroxyzine if you are pregnant, especially during the first or second trimester. Hydroxyzine could harm the unborn baby or cause birth defects. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are using this medicine. Hydroxyzine is very similar to cetirizine and levocetirizine. Do not use these medications while using hydroxyzine. Do not use with any other antihistamines applied to the skin (such as diphenhydramine cream, ointment, spray) because increased side effects may occur.

Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Your dosage of hydroxyzine will depend on your medical condition, age, the formulation you use, and other factors. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually three or four times daily. RxList does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

FDA Drug Information

Vistaril is not a cortical depressant, but its action may be due to a suppression of activity in certain key regions of the subcortical area of the central nervous system. Primary skeletal muscle relaxation has been demonstrated experimentally. Bronchodilator activity, and antihistaminic and analgesic effects have been demonstrated experimentally and confirmed clinically. An antiemetic effect, both by the apomorphine test and the veriloid test, has been demonstrated. Pharmacological and clinical studies indicate that hydroxyzine in therapeutic dosage does not increase gastric secretion or acidity and in most cases has mild antisecretory activity. Hydroxyzine is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and Vistaril’s clinical effects are usually noted within 15 to 30 minutes after oral administration.

Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Hydroxyzine preparations require a doctor’s prescription. The drug is available in two formulations, the pamoate and the dihydrochloride or hydrochloride salts. Vistaril, Equipose, Masmoran, and Paxistil are preparations of the pamoate salt, while Atarax, Alamon, Aterax, Durrax, Tran-Q, Orgatrax, Quiess, and Tranquizine are of the hydrochloride salt.

Hydroxyzine is used to help control anxiety and tension caused by nervous and emotional conditions. It can also be used to help control anxiety and produce sleep before surgery. This medicine is also used to relieve symptoms of allergic conditions (eg, chronic urticaria and atopic and contact dermatoses). Before taking hydroxyzine, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to cetirizine; or to levocetirizine; or if you have any other allergies.