A New Injection to Treat Hives

There's a newly approved treatment for hives.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Quzyttir (cetirizine) to treat acute urticaria (hives).

Available as an injection to be given into the vein (IV), this new medication is approved for adults and children 6 months of age and older.

Cetirizine injection is now an alternative treatment option to IV diphenhydramine (brand name Benadryl).

The approved dose is once every 24 hours as needed for acute hives.

This approval comes after cetirizine injection was shown to be effective in a clinical trial that included 262 adults with hives. Some patients received cetirizine injection, while others received diphenhydramine injection.

Common side effects may include headache, altered taste, feeling hot, indigestion and excessive sweating. This medication may cause drowsiness. Be cautious if driving or operating heavy machinery.

Speak with your health care provider if you have any questions about hives or the available treatments.

Written by Anyssa Garza, PharmD, BCMAS