Hydroxyzine and Alcohol Interaction: Can You Drink Alcohol with Hydroxyzine?

Author: Thomas Roth

Last Updated: 4/27/2022

Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine that's used to treat anxiety, vomiting, nausea, and allergies. Like other antihistamines, it can also be used to treat skin rashes like hives. Furthermore, hydroxyzine can be used before medical procedures along with anesthesia for patients that need it. While hydroxyzine doesn't have many serious effects, it does require a prescription from a doctor. 

What are the Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Hydroxyzine?

Hydroxyzine is used to treat anxiety, which is a mental health issue. Alcohol can also relieve symptoms of anxiety but people who use alcohol for anxiety relief can become alcohol dependent. Mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine is dangerous for a few reasons. Primarily, hydroxyzine can make the side effects of alcohol worse. The main side effect that hydroxyzine interacts with is drowsiness. Alcohol can also make the side effects of hydroxyzine worse. More on those interactions are listed below.

1. QT Prolongation

When taking hydroxyzine there is a small risk that QT prolongation can occur. QT prolongation is an irregular or chaotic heartbeat that can be too fast or too slow. In some cases, QT prolongation can be inherited by genetic factors. However, hydroxyzine does increase the risk of the condition occurring. One study concluded that 3.18 cases per 1,000,000 patient-years. To further break this down, out of 8,913,469 patient-years, only 34 reports of QT prolongation caused by hydroxyzine were reported. That said, using alcohol can change the way the body manages hydroxyzine and increase the risk of QT prolongation occurring.

2. Liver Disease

Mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine can increase the risk of liver disease and other liver problems. The liver is responsible for processing toxins in the body, which includes substances like alcohol and hydroxyzine. Mixing the substances strains the liver and abuse of alcohol can hydroxyzine can lead to conditions like fatty liver disease and liver failure. While having a few drinks every once in a while is not that bad, abusing alcohol daily almost guarantees liver problems.

3. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition that places pressure on the eyes. The pressure can be quite painful but there are treatments for it. Still, hydroxyzine has been associated with glaucoma risk and can cause the condition to occur. Mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine causes side effects that can cause glaucoma to become worse and more painful. Therefore, avoiding the substances reduces the risk of glaucoma occurring in otherwise healthy individuals.

4. Cardiovascular Diseases

The risk of cardiovascular disease increases when taking medications like hydroxyzine. The risk of cardiovascular disease also increases when consuming alcohol. While one or two drinks every few days won't increase the risk of heart disease, abusing the substance can greatly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. For this reason, mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine can substantially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This includes stroke, heart attack, irregular heartbeat, and plaque buildup within the arteries.

5. Depression

Hydroxyzine is used to treat allergies and mental health conditions like anxiety. While it's used to treat anxiety, mixing the medication with substances like alcohol can cause chemical imbalances within the brain. The result of these chemical imbalances can be depression. For this reason, you should not mix medications with alcohol if you're using them to treat mental health disorders. The chemical changes that alcohol causes with dopamine and serotonin can cause severe reactions and side effects like anxiety, depression, and the onset of suicidal thoughts.

Does Hydroxyzine Affect the Taste of Alcohol?

Hydroxyzine does not affect the taste of alcohol. However, it can leave an aftertaste in the mouth when taken orally. Consuming alcohol with the aftertaste in the mouth can lead to hydroxyzine impacting the taste of alcohol. Otherwise, there is not much research on hydroxyzine's effect on the taste of alcohol.

Does Hydroxyzine Affect the Effect of Alcohol?

Hydroxyzine can affect the effect of alcohol. Hydroxyzine affects the effect of alcohol by increasing the risk of alcohol's side effects, primarily drowsiness. When mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine people can experience sudden drowsiness and loss of consciousness. This interaction can occur after only a few drinks of alcohol. Hydroxyzine can also cause alcohol to make people feel more nauseous and even cause people to vomit. Some cases of diarrhea have also been reported after mixing hydroxyzine and alcohol.

Can Hydroxyzine be used for Alcohol Withdrawals?

Yes, hydroxyzine can be used for alcohol withdrawals. The medication is an antihistamine, which can prevent the body from producing histamines. When people are experiencing alcohol withdrawal, histamine production can lead to anxiety and other mental health conditions. Alcohol withdrawal can also lead to rashes and other reactions in the body that hydroxyzine can treat. Hydroxyzine should only be taken for alcohol withdrawal if prescribed by a medical professional.

Can Mixture of Alcohol and Hydroxyzine Lead to Death?

Yes, the mixture of alcohol and hydroxyzine can lead to death. Because hydroxyzine can interact with alcohol in the body, it can make alcohol's intoxicating effects more potent and increase alcohol's side effects. For some individuals, this can lead to a loss of consciousness, drowsiness, and other complications. These complications can lead to death. Mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine can also lead to an increased risk of QT prolongation, which can cause changes to the heartbeat that can be fatal.

Who should not Take Alcohol and Hydroxyzine?

Mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine is dangerous and you should consult with your doctor before doing so. While mixing one or two standard drinks with hydroxyzine is typically safe, abusing alcohol and taking hydroxyzine can lead to many negative side effects and potentially death. Moreover, people who are over the age of 65 and people who are allergic to antihistamines have an increased risk of being harmed by the combination of alcohol and hydroxyzine.

1. People Allergic to Antihistamines

Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine that's used to treat allergies, rashes, and anxiety. While it's an effective medication for treating these issues, some individuals are allergic to antihistamines like hydroxyzine. People who are allergic to antihistamines can have a negative reaction when taking hydroxyzine and consuming alcohol. Even without alcohol consumption, people who are allergic to antihistamines should not take hydroxyzine. For this reason, people should consult with a doctor before taking hydroxyzine.

2. People Who are in Early Pregnancy

Hydroxyzine can cause changes in the heartbeat and reduce the production of histamines in the body. People who are early in pregnancy should not take hydroxyzine for this reason. Individuals who are late in their pregnancies can also experience these complications, which is why pregnant people should consult with a doctor when taking hydroxyzine. Adding alcohol to the combination increases the risk of complications occurring. Alcohol can also cause harm to the child during pregnancy because of complications like fetal alcohol syndrome, which can create irreversible deformities.

3. People who Have a Prolonged QT Interval

Prolonged QT interval is a condition that causes irregular heartbeats. Taking hydroxyzine can make QT prolongation worse for people who have the condition. Furthermore, mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine can increase the risk of QT prolongation occurring in otherwise healthy individuals. Therefore, mixing the substances should be avoided in people who have prolonged QT intervals or a family of QT prolongation.

Can I Take Hydroxyzine with Alcohol While Pregnant?

No, you can't take hydroxyzine with alcohol during pregnancy. In fact, hydroxyzine should be avoided early on in pregnancy because it can cause negative effects on the mother and child. Alcohol is also dangerous to consume during pregnancy because it can increase the risk of miscarriage and harm the fetus. One example is fetal alcohol syndrome, which is an irreversible condition that causes deformities at birth.

Are all Types of Alcohol Harmful to Hydroxyzine?

All types of alcohol are harmful to mix with hydroxyzine. Hydroxyzine can have negative reactions with beer, wine, liquor, and other types of spirits. Unlike other medications, the strength of an alcoholic beverage is not relevant when mixing alcohol and hydroxyzine. Before mixing the substances you should always consult with a medical professional. Otherwise, many negative health effects can occur.

How Much Hydroxyzine can be Dangerous to Take with Alcohol?

Any amount of hydroxyzine can be dangerous to take with alcohol. For example, even a small dose of 50 to 100 milligrams taken 4 times per day can lead to side effects when consumed with alcohol. However, larger doses of more than 100 milligrams increase the risk of substantial and deadly side effects occurring. Therefore, mixing any amount of alcohol with any amount of hydroxyzine can be dangerous.

Does Alcohol Affect How Well Hydroxyzine will Work?

Alcohol can affect how well hydroxyzine will work. Because alcohol can cause inflammation in the body, it can reduce hydroxyzine's effectiveness for treating rashes, hives, and itching. Alcohol also causes chemical changes in the brain that can influence anxiety and depression. When hydroxyzine is prescribed to treat anxiety, alcohol can make it less effective because of its interaction with dopamine and serotonin.

How Long After Taking Hydroxyzine can You Drink Alcohol?

Hydroxyzine has a half-life of 14 hours. When the body is processing hydroxyzine it can take 14 hours to remove half of a dose. However, it takes the body about 5 of these half-lives to remove hydroxyzine from the body completely; even if you don't feel the effects of the medication it can still be in your system. A good rule of thumb to follow is that hydroxyzine remains in your system for about 70 hours after the last dose. To avoid adverse health effects, alcohol should not be consumed during this period. Ultimately, you should wait for between 3-and 5 days before drinking alcohol after taking hydroxyzine.

What Are Other Drugs That Are Dangerous To Use with Alcohol?

Many drugs are dangerous to mix with alcohol because of how alcohol interacts in the body. That said, some drugs are more dangerous to use with alcohol than others. Below are some examples of the most dangerous drugs to use with alcohol.

• Antibiotics 

• Antidepressants 

• Amphetamines 

• Depressants 

• Stimulants 

• Viagra 

• Sudafed 

• Xanax

Keep in mind that these are only some of the dangerous medications to combine with alcohol.