For nervous disorders, agitation and anxiety, doctors prescribe Atarax. Instructions for use reports that this tool acts as a mild tranquilizer. It does not cause severe drowsiness and has a moderate sedative effect on the body. Also, the drug does not affect the mental abilities of a person. Unlike benzodiazepine tranquilizers, it does not lead to general inhibition and decreased performance. These properties allow Atarax to be used as a daily tranquilizer.
Composition and effect of the drug
The active component of the drug is hydroxyzine hydrochloride. This substance has a calming effect on the psyche and has a sedative effect. In addition, it reduces nausea, has an antihistamine effect and relaxes muscles. The drug is not sleeping pills, but taking it improves sleep. This tool has a positive effect on thinking, memory and performance. It increases concentration.
The drug does not have a pronounced inhibitory effect on the nervous system. It only slows down the activity of those subcortical structures of the brain that are responsible for emotions.
The medicine is not addictive or addictive. After the end of the course of treatment, a gradual reduction in dosage is not required. The drug can be stopped immediately, since it does not have withdrawal symptoms.
Doctors consider this drug an effective daily tranquilizer, which rarely causes side effects. Instructions for use also report good tolerability of the drug. Prices, analogs and reviews of Atarax will be discussed later.
This medication is released in the form of tablets and a solution for injections. In milder cases, a tablet form is used, with severe disorders, injections are used.
The tablets contain 25 mg of the active ingredient. In addition, they include: cellulose, lactose, compounds of magnesium, silicon and titanium. These additional ingredients are necessary for better absorption of hydroxyzine hydrochloride.
The injection solution contains 100 mg of the drug. It is poured into ampoules of 2 ml. Also in the form of this drug is water for injection and sodium hydroxide.
Indications
Instructions for the use of Atarax recommends prescribing this remedy for neurosis accompanied by anxiety, fear, emotional stress, irritability. It is also indicated for a hangover syndrome, if this condition occurs with neurotic disorders.
The drug is also used in preparation for surgical operations. It relieves mental stress and potentiates the effect of anesthetics.
Due to the antihistamine action, the tranquilizer can be used for allergic reactions. This medicine effectively eliminates itching.
Contraindications
This tranquilizer can not be taken by all patients. Instructions for use "Atarax" prohibits the appointment of the drug in the following cases:
- Taking the medicine is contraindicated in case of allergies to any of its components.
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding, you can not take a tranquilizer. Its use is also prohibited during childbirth.
- A blood disease - porphyria - is an absolute contraindication for the use of a tranquilizer.
- If a person has had cases of an allergy to piperazine derivatives, ethylenediamine or aminophylline in the past, then he should refuse to take the medicine.
- The composition of the tablet form of this medication includes lactose. Therefore, people with congenital enzymatic disorders (lactase deficiency) should not take pills. In such cases, the use of a tranquilizer in the form of injections is indicated.
Some diseases are not absolute contraindications to the use of the drug. However, this requires the appointment of a lower dosage and medical supervision during the course of treatment. Such pathologies include myasthenia gravis, arrhythmia, dementia disorders, enlarged prostate and convulsive attacks.
Unwanted effects
This tool refers to tranquilizers of mild action. Patients usually tolerate the drug well. However, the instructions for use of Atarax warns that this medicine may cause unwanted manifestations from various organs.
Like many other drugs with antihistamine action, Atarax has an anticholinergic effect. It blocks receptors that interact with acetylcholine. In this regard, some of the patients may experience the following undesirable effects:
- dry mouth
- urinary retention and constipation;
- visual impairment due to accommodation spasm.
Such symptoms during the course of treatment are rare. They are mainly found in the elderly. These phenomena occur with a decrease in the dose of the drug.
Instructions for use and reviews of Atarax report a possible feeling of tiredness and drowsiness in the first days of treatment. This is a normal phenomenon, as the body adapts to a tranquilizer. Usually weakness and increased drowsiness go away on their own. If these symptoms do not disappear, you need to consult a doctor about adjusting the dose of the medicine.
In very rare cases, there is tachycardia, dizziness, decreased pressure, an allergic reaction, and bronchospasm. Typically, such phenomena develop when exceeding the recommended dose or with increased sensitivity to the components of the drug.
Instructions for use and reviews of Atarax indicate a pronounced effect of this agent on the central nervous system. Therefore, it is very important to strictly observe the dosage prescribed by the doctor. If the permissible number of tablets is exceeded, intoxication may develop. Overdose is expressed in nausea, vomiting, a sharp decrease in blood pressure, psychomotor agitation, impaired consciousness. In such cases, urgently need to rinse the patient's stomach and give enterosorbent. After first aid, you must call a doctor. There is no special antidote against hydroxyzine hydrochloride, symptomatic treatment is carried out in the hospital .
How to take the drug
The exact dosage of the drug is determined by the attending physician. The instruction recommends that the following amount of the drug be prescribed in tablets or in injections:
- with neurosis with anxiety: 25-100 mg per day;
- to prepare for operations: 50-200 mg;
- in the treatment of pruritus: 25-100 mg.
The drug is prescribed for children aged 12 months. If Atarax is used in pediatric practice, then the dosage is calculated individually depending on the weight of the child.
In elderly patients, treatment begins with a half dose. If a person suffers from hepatic and renal pathologies, then the amount of the drug must also be reduced.
special instructions
This medication is strongly incompatible with alcohol. The simultaneous use of alcohol and tranquilizer can lead to sharp respiratory depression and higher nervous activity.
If the patient needs to undergo allergological tests, then the medication is stopped 5 days before the tests. The drug can distort the results of such studies.
This drug can affect the speed of the reaction, especially in the first days of administration. Therefore, during the course of treatment, it is better to refrain from driving a car.
Interaction with other medicines
If along with Atarax other tranquilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants or sleeping pills are prescribed, then the dosage of these drugs must be adjusted. Psychotropic drugs enhance each other's action.
Avoid co-administration of the drug with anticholinergics and antidepressants from the group of MAO inhibitors. Otherwise, the side effects of the tranquilizer may increase.
Storage and price
Tablets are stored at a temperature of no more than +25 degrees. They remain valid for 5 years. These storage conditions are recommended by the instructions for use of Atarax. The price of the drug in tablet form is from 260 to 350 rubles.
Tablets should be kept out of the reach of children. This will prevent accidental poisoning.
The drug in the form of a solution is suitable for use for 5 years, if the ampoules are stored at a temperature not exceeding +25 degrees, according to the instructions for use of Atarax. The price of the solution is from 300 to 350 rubles.
This drug is dispensed from pharmacies strictly according to the prescription. Self-medication with a tranquilizer is unacceptable.
Analogues of the drug
Analogs of the drug are daytime tranquilizers that relieve anxiety. They have the same indications for use as in the instructions for use of Atarax. Reviews about the price of the drug indicate that this medicine is quite affordable. However, patients are interested in cheaper analogues of Atarax.
The full structural analogue is only the hydroxyzine canon drug. It contains the same active ingredient. The cost of this medication is from 80 to 300 rubles.
This medicine has almost the same contraindications and side effects that are indicated in the instructions for use of Atarax. Reviews about the price of "Hydroxyzine Canon" indicate that this generic product is not inferior in effectiveness to the original, but it is cheaper. The downside of this medicine can only be considered that it is available only in the form of tablets.
The anti-anxiety effect of hydroxyzine hydrochloride is reported by the instructions for use of Atarax. Analogues of the drug can also be selected among drugs with a similar therapeutic effect. However, they contain another active ingredient. These include:
- Theraligen.
- Adaptol.
- Grandaxin.
- Phenibut
These drugs are also used in the treatment of diseases indicated in the instructions for use of Atarax. We will consider the prices of analogues and their properties in more detail below:
- "Teraligen" refers to mild antipsychotics. This is a slightly different group of drugs, they relieve manifestations of psychosis. He is also able to quickly eliminate anxiety. "Teraligen" is usually used in complex and severe cases, it can eliminate generalized anxiety disorder. This is a stronger and more powerful drug than Atarax. Its price is from 530 to 870 rubles.
- "Adaptol" is intended for the treatment of neurotic manifestations of somatic diseases. It can relieve manifestations of VVD and eliminate insomnia. It is also used in the treatment of neurosis, such an indication is also in the instructions for use of Atarax. Testimonials of doctors say that "Adaptol" is somewhat weaker. The price of the drug is from 660 to 800 rubles.
- "Grandaxin" also refers to daytime tranquilizers. This medication treats anxiety, depression, and heart pain of a neurotic origin. Atarax is a drug for symptomatic treatment. "Grandaxin" acts on the cause of the disease, so it is prescribed in more complex cases. The cost of the drug in pharmacy chains is from 330 to 1200 rubles.
- "Phenibut" refers to nootropic drugs with a tranquilizing effect. This tool improves cerebral circulation and at the same time calms the psyche. The drug acts both as a light stimulant and as a tranquilizer. It has fewer contraindications than Atarax. However, Phenibut has a negative effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa and can be addictive. Therefore, it is taken in courses. The price of the drug is from 120 to 250 rubles.
All of these analogues of the drug are dispensed from pharmacies by prescription.
Drug Reviews
Specialists respond positively about this tool. It helps with mild anxiety disorders. However, with serious neurotic disorders, it is necessary to take more powerful tranquilizers with a sedative effect.
You can find many positive reviews from patients. This drug helped them get rid of anxiety and irritability. People report improved sleep during the course of therapy. This tranquilizer helped to eliminate panic attacks for patients with VVD.
However, in some patients, taking the drug caused tachycardia and dizziness. In the recent past, these people have suffered severe cardiovascular pathologies: myocardial infarction or stroke. In such cases, caution is required when taking a tranquilizer. If such side effects occur, you should consult your doctor about reducing the dosage or replacing the medicine.