Hydroxyzine (Atarax) for treatment post anaphylaxis?

[akroeze]

So as some of you know I work as a nurse at a summer camp. The physician we have currently seems to favour using Atarax for the post anaphylaxis patient as opposed to the usual Benadryl. She says in her experience it has less nasty side effects and it has the same mechanism of action so why not give it?

I did a quick search and couldn't find any info on the net on using Atarax for ana so I was wondering if anyone else has heard/seen this?

[AZCEP]

Here is a quick bit from rxlist.com:

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Atarax is unrelated chemically to the phenothiazines, reserpine, meprobamate, or the benzodiazepines.

Atarax 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 anti-histaminic 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 Atarax's clinical effects are usually noted within 15 to 30 minutes after oral administration.

INDICATIONS

For symptomatic relief of anxiety and tension associated with psychoneurosis and as an adjunct in organic disease states in which anxiety is manifested.

Useful in the management of pruritus due to allergic conditions such as chronic urticaria and atopic and contact dermatoses, and in histamine-mediated pruritus.

As a sedative when used as pre-medication and following general anesthesia, Hydroxyzine may potentiate meperidine (Demerols®) and barbiturates, so their use in pre-anesthetic adjunctive therapy should be modified on an individual basis. Atropine and other bella-donna alkaloids are not affected by the drug. Hydroxyzine is not known to interfere with the action of digitalis in any way and it may be used concurrently with this agent.

The effectiveness of hydroxyzine as an antianxiety agent for long term use, that is more than 4 months, has not been assessed by systematic clinical studies. The physician should reassess periodically the usefulness of the drug for the individual patient.

[buckeyedoc]

Our 11 month old has eczema and was prescribed Atarex and Benadryl. We use the Atarex during the day d/t it not making him drowsy. We use Benadryl mostly for his food allergies.