What is Dicyclomine Hydrochloride?
Dicyclomine oral tablet is a prescription medicine. It's available as a brand-name Bentyl drug. It is available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than that.. Dicyclomine also comes as a capsule or solution that you take by mouth and by injection. The injection is given only by a health care provider in a clinic.
Forms and strengths:- Generic name- Dicyclomine
- Form - Oral tablet
- Strengths- 20 mg
- Brand name - Bentyl
Dicyclomine Hydrochloride Uses
Dicyclomine is used to treat symptoms such as stomach spasms caused by intestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome. It might be used as a part of combination therapy. This means that you may need to take it with other medications.
How it works
Dicyclomine is a class of drugs called anticholinergics. Classification of drugs that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used for the treatment of similar conditions.
This drug affects specific muscles in your stomach and intestines that are called smooth muscles. It helps to relax these muscles in order to relieve the spasms caused by functional intestinal disorders in this part of your digestive system.
Dicyclomine Hydrochloride Side Effects
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Blurry vision
- Nausea
- Sleepiness
- Weakness
- Nervousness
- Abnormal or rapid heart rate
Eye problems. Symptoms can include:
- Blurry vision
- Difficulty moving your eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Allergic reactions
- Swelling of your face, tongue, throat, arms, and legs
- Trouble breathing or swallowing
- Skin rash
- Welts
- Hives
- Temporary episodes of memory loss
- Irritation
- Confusion
- Delusions
- Disorientation
- Hallucinations
- Sudden mood or behaviour changes
- Decreased breast milk production in breastfeeding women
- Skin problems
- Redness
- Rash
- Inflammation of your skin
Precautions
- For people with heart problems - Dicyclomine can cause a rapid or abnormal heart rate. The risk of this side effect is increased if you already have an abnormal or rapid heart rate, congestive heart failure, a history of heart attack, or uncontrolled blood pressure.
- For people with myasthenia gravis- Myasthenia gravis is a disease of muscle weakness. If you have this disease and take dicyclomine, your illness may get worse. High doses of this drug may even cause paralysis in people with this disease. You're not supposed to use this drug if you have myasthenia gravis.
- For people with intestinal obstruction - Dicyclomine may cause or worsen blockage or obstruction of the digestive tract. If you have removed a portion of your intestine (ileostomy or colostomy), you are at greater risk of this side effect.
- For people with ulcerative colitis - Dicyclomine can reduce the movement of the digestive tract. If you have ulcerative colitis and take this medicine, the movement of your digestive tract may be slowed to the point where it can cause a condition called toxic megacolon. Symptoms of toxic megacolon include stomach pain, bloating, rapid heart rate, fever, severe diarrhea, and bloody diarrhea. If you have severe ulcerative colitis, you should not take this medicine.
- For men with enlarged prostate - the use of this drug may cause urinary retention. This can make it hard for you to urinate. If you have an enlarged prostate, you are at an increased risk of this side effect if you take this medicine.
- For people with liver disease - your body may not be able to treat this medicine as well as it should if you have liver disease. Taking normal doses of this medicine may cause it to build up in your body and increase your risk of side effects. Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you have liver disease.
- For people with kidney disease- your body may not be able to get rid of this medicine as well as it should if you have kidney disease. Taking normal doses of this medicine may cause it to build up in your body and increase your risk of side effects. Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you have kidney disease.
- For people with glaucoma- This drug may increase the pressure in your eyes. If you have glaucoma, this increase in pressure may be harmful to your eyes. You should not use this medicine if you have glaucoma or are taking medicines to treat glaucoma. For people with food poisoning: if you have food poisoning caused by the bacterium of Salmonella, taking dicyclomine may cause serious damage to the low level of toxicity.
- Dicyclomine is a category B pregnancy drug for pregnant women. It means two things:
- Animal research has shown no risk to the fetus when the mother takes the drug.
- There are not enough human studies to show whether the drug poses a risk to the fetus.
- Talk to your doctor if you are in pregnancy or planning to become pregnant. Animal studies do not always predict how the human body would respond. Therefore, this drug should only be used during pregnancy if it is clearly needed. Call your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this medicine.
- For women who are breast-feeding - Dicyclomine should not be used in women who are breast-feeding. Dicyclomine may pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in infants who are breastfed. This drug may also lower the amount of breast milk your body makes. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed with your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medicine.
- For the elderly - the kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can make your body process drugs more slowly. As a result, more drugs stay in your body for a longer period of time. This might increase your risk of side effects
- For children- this drug has not been evaluated in children. It should not be used in people younger than 18 years of age.
Dicyclomine Hydrochloride vs Drotaverine
Dicyclomine Hydrochloride |
Drotaverine |
|---|---|
| Brand Name: Bentyl, Dibent, Dicyclocot | Trade name: No-Spa, Doverin |
| It is available as Anticholinergic Agents | Drotaverine is an antispasmodic drug |
| Dicyclomine is used to treat symptoms such as stomach spasms caused by intestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome. | Drotaverine is used to enhance cervical dilation during childbirth. |
| Formula C19H36ClNO2 | Formula: C24H31NO4 |
