Search The Medical Knowledge Base

Drug Details

ATARAX

• Drug Class Description
  Antihistamines (sedating).
• Generic Name
  Hydroxyzine hydrochloride - allergy
• Presentation
  Tablets, hydroxyzine hydrochloride 10 mg , 25mg .
• Description
  10mg orange s-c tablets, 25 mg green s-c tablets. Both marked Pfizer.
• Indications
  Pruritus due to acute and chronic urticaria, dermatoses.
• Adult Dosage
  

  Method of administration: oral.

  Dosage:

  Anxiety

  Adults 50-100mg four times daily.

  Pruritus

  Adults Starting dose of 25mg at night increasing as necessary to 25mg three or four times daily.

  Use in the elderly Atarax may be used in elderly patients with no special precautions other than the care always necessary in this age group. The lowest effective maintenance dose and careful observation for side-effects are important.

  Use in children From 6 months to 6 years 5-15mg rising to 50mg daily in divided doses and for children over 6 years, 15-25mg rising to 50-100mg daily in divided doses.

  As with all medications, the dosage should be adjusted according to the patient's response to therapy.

  Renal impairment The total daily dosage should be reduced by half.

• Child Dosage
  Under 6 months, not recommended; 6 months - 6 years, initially 5 - 15 mg at night increasing to maximum 50 mg daily in divided doses; over 6 years, initially 15 - 25 mg at night increasing to maximum 50 - 100 mg daily in divided doses.
• Contra Indications
  

  Atarax is contra-indicated in patients who have shown previous hypersensitivity to it.

• Special Precautions
  

  Atarax should be used with caution in patients with impaired renal function (see 'Posology and Method of Administration'). It is uncertain whether the drug may accumulate or have other adverse effects in such patients. Atarax is completely metabolised and one of the metabolites is the active metabolite cetirizine. Cetirizine is renally excreted and clearance is reduced in patients with moderate renal impairment and on dialysis compared to normal volunteers.

  Because of its potential anticholinergic effects, Atarax should be used with caution in patients with bladder outflow obstruction.

• Interactions
  

  Patients should be warned that Atarax may enhance their response to alcohol, barbiturates and other CNS depressants.

• Adverse Drug Reactions
  

  Therapeutic doses of Atarax seldom produce marked impairment of mental alertness. Drowsiness may occur; if so, it is usually transitory and may disappear after a few days of continued therapy or upon reduction of the dose. Dryness of the mouth may be encountered at higher doses. Dizziness, weakness, headache and confusion, and urinary retention have been reported.

  Extensive clinical use has substantiated the absence of toxic effects on the liver or bone marrow when administered for over four years of uninterrupted therapy. The absence of side-effects has been further demonstrated in experimental studies in which excessively high doses were administered.

  Involuntary motor activity, including rare instances of tremor and convulsions, have been reported, usually with doses considerably higher than those recommended. Continuous therapy with over 1g/day has been employed in some patients without these effects having been encountered.