Author: James Anderson

Vistaril Hydroxyzine Pamoate Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Dosage

Vistaril (hydroxyzine pamoate) is a prescription drug used to relieve anxiety and tension. 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). In children younger than 6 years of age, the maximum recommended dosage for anxiety or allergy conditions is 50 mg per day and it should be taken in divided doses. When prescribed as a presurgical sedative, the recommended dosage is 0.6 mg per kg of body weight. If you experience any of these effects and they don’t go away or are bothersome, talk with your healthcare provider.

Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely. Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially drowsiness, confusion, constipation, trouble urinating or QT prolongation (see above). Drowsiness and confusion can increase the risk of falling. Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood may also increase your risk of QT prolongation.

More about Vistaril (hydroxyzine)

Still, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider and follow their advice when stopping Vistaril use. Taking Vistaril for anxiety often results in quick relief, with its effects typically felt within 15 to 30 minutes of taking the drug. Though, it is generally only prescribed short term as its long-term effectiveness for easing anxiety has not been adequately assessed. RxList does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Vistaril is also used together with other medications given for anesthesia. Vistaril may also be used to control nausea and vomiting, or to treat allergic skin reactions such as hives or contact dermatitis.

Hydroxyzine pamoate is contraindicated for patients who have shown a previous hypersensitivity to any component of this medication. Hydroxyzine overdose may cause QT prolongation and Torsade de Pointes. ECG monitoring is recommended in cases of hydroxyzine overdose. It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Since many drugs are so excreted, hydroxyzine should not be given to nursing mothers.

Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company. Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Vistaril® (hydroxyzine pamoate) is unrelated chemically to the phenothiazines, reserpine, meprobamate, or the benzodiazepines.

Response and effectiveness

There is no practical method to quantitate hydroxyzine in body fluids or tissue after its ingestion or administration. Caution is recommended during the concomitant use of drugs known to prolong the QT interval. As with all medications, the dosage should be adjusted according to the patient’s response to therapy.

1. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Vistaril only for the indication prescribed.
2. Vistaril can start working in as little as 15 minutes with its peak effects occurring at two hours, then waning over the next four to six hours.
3. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients.
4. The dosage is based on your age, medical condition, and response to treatment.

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. Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you use.

Vistaril is not a long-term anxiety treatment due to a lack of research on whether it is effective when taken for longer than four months. If your anxiety persists, your healthcare provider may explore other options, such as different medications or various types of therapy known to help anxiety disorders. 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.

What other drugs will affect Vistaril?

They may change the Vistaril dosage to reduce its effects or switch you to one of the other anti-anxiety medications. Sedating drugs may cause confusion and over sedation in the elderly; elderly patients generally should be started on low doses of VISTARIL and observed closely. There have been limited studies on Vistaril usage in individuals aged 65 and older.

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). If signs or symptoms suggest AGEP, use of hydroxyzine should not be resumed and alternative therapy should be considered. Avoid cetirizine or levocetirizine in patients who have experienced AGEP or other hypersensitivity reactions with hydroxyzine, due to the risk of cross-sensitivity. When prescribed for anxiety, the typical adult dose is 50 mg to 100 mg, up to four times a day.

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