Hydroxyzine belongs to a class of medications called antihistamines. It is thought to work by affecting certain natural substances (acetylcholine, serotonin) in your body or by acting directly on certain parts of the brain.
Common side effects
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Urinary retention
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Headaches
Anticholinergics (a group that encompasses medications for allergies and colds, depression, high blood pressure, and incontinence) have been found to be associated with an increased risk of dementia in people who used them for longer than a few months. The effect increased with the dose of the drug and the duration of use. Anticholinergics may have troubling side effects—confusion, clouded thinking, and memory lapses—that can lead to falls, fractures, and auto accidents.
Benzodiazepine
Benzodiazepine drugs are habit-forming and can lead to dependence. Long-term use also can lead to tolerance, which means that lower doses will become ineffective and patients will need higher doses. These drugs are abused to get 'high' due to their effects on the brain.
Common side effects
- Lightheadedness
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Sedation
- Memory impairment
- Improper body balance
- Increase or decrease in appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Dry mouth
- Reduced libido
- Fatigue
Serious side effects
- Respiratory depression
- Dependence and abuse
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Jaundice
- Seizures
- Suicide
- Slow heart rate
- Severe low blood pressure
- Fainting
- Akathisia (a movement disorder)
- Increased heart rate
