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Hydroxyzine
Antihistamine drug / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hydroxyzine, sold under the brand names Atarax and Vistaril among others, is an antihistamine medication.[8] It is used in the treatment of itchiness, insomnia, anxiety, and nausea, including that due to motion sickness.[8] It is used either by mouth or injection into a muscle.[8]
Common side effects include sleepiness, headache, and a dry mouth.[8][9] Serious side effects may include QT prolongation.[9] It is unclear if use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is safe.[8] Hydroxyzine works by blocking the effects of histamine.[9] It is a first-generation antihistamine in the piperazine family of chemicals.[8][4]
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 2021, it was the 58th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 11 million prescriptions.[11][12]