Hydroxyzine

Hydroxyzine
Clinical data
Pronunciation/haɪˈdrɒksɪziːn/
Trade namesAtarax,[1] Vistaril,[2] others
Other namesUCB-4492
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa682866
License data
Dependence
liability		None [3]
Routes of
administration		By mouth, intramuscular
Drug classFirst-generation antihistamine[4]
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
  • AU: S4 (Prescription only)
  • CA: ℞-only
  • UK: POM (Prescription only)
  • US: ℞-only
  • EU: Rx-only
  • In general: ℞ (Prescription only)
Pharmacokinetic data
BioavailabilityHigh
Protein binding93%
MetabolismLiver
MetabolitesCetirizine, others
Elimination half-lifeAdults: 20.0 hours[5][6]
Elderly: 29.3 hours[7]
Children: 7.1 hours[5]
ExcretionUrine, feces
Identifiers
  • (±)-2-(2-{4-[(4-chlorophenyl)-phenylmethyl]piperazin-1-yl}ethoxy)ethanol
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.000.630 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC21H27ClN2O2
Molar mass374.91 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • Clc1ccc(cc1)C(c2ccccc2)N3CCN(CC3)CCOCCO
  • InChI=1S/C21H27ClN2O2/c22-20-8-6-19(7-9-20)21(18-4-2-1-3-5-18)24-12-10-23(11-13-24)14-16-26-17-15-25/h1-9,21,25H,10-17H2 checkY
  • Key:ZQDWXGKKHFNSQK-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  (verify)

Hydroxyzine, sold under the brand names Atarax and Vistaril among others, is an antihistamine medication.[8] It is used in the treatment of itchiness, anxiety, insomnia, and nausea (including that due to motion sickness).[8] It is used either by mouth or injection into a muscle.[8]

Hydroxyzine works by blocking the effects of histamine.[9] It is a first-generation antihistamine in the piperazine family of chemicals.[8][4] Common side effects include sleepiness, headache, and dry mouth.[8][9] Serious side effects may include QT prolongation.[9] It is unclear if use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is safe.[8]

It was first made by Union Chimique Belge in 1956 and was approved for sale by Pfizer in the United States later that year.[8][10] In 2022, it was the 46th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 13 million prescriptions.[11][12]

  1. ^ "Atarax: FDA-Approved Drugs". U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Vistaril: FDA-Approved Drugs". U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  3. ^ Hubbard JR, Martin PR (2001). Substance Abuse in the Mentally and Physically Disabled. CRC Press. p. 26. ISBN 9780824744977.
  4. ^ a b "Hydroxyzine". United States National Library of Medicine (NLM). Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference pmid2866055 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference pmid6141198 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference pmid2562944 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Hydroxyzine Hydrochloride Monograph for Professionals". Drugs.com. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  9. ^ a b c British national formulary : BNF 74 (74 ed.). British Medical Association. 2017. p. X. ISBN 978-0857112989.
  10. ^ Shorter E (2009). Before Prozac: the troubled history of mood disorders in psychiatry. Oxford [Oxfordshire]: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195368741.
  11. ^ "The Top 300 of 2022". ClinCalc. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Hydroxyzine Drug Usage Statistics, United States, 2013 - 2022". ClinCalc. Retrieved 30 August 2024.