Is Your Medication Causing Dry Mouth?
Dry mouth isn’t just an annoyance, it can lead to serious dental issues if left untreated. Read on to see which medications are most likely to cause dry mouth.
benztropine
Used for Parkinson's Disease
Used for Parkinson's Disease
Benztropine is an anticholinergic medication used to treat Parkinson's disease and certain movement problems caused by antipsychotic medications. It comes as a tablet that you take by mouth 1 to 4 times a day. Common side effects include dry mouth, blurry vision, and constipation.
What is Benztropine?
What is Benztropine used for?
- Parkinson's disease
- Certain movement problems caused by antipsychotic medications
How Benztropine works
Benztropine is an anticholinergic. It works by blocking acetylcholine, a chemical in your body that affects muscle movement. By lowering acetylcholine, benztropine can help improve symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and muscle spasms.
When does Benztropine start working?Time passed since treatment started:
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Cogentin |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Anticholinergic |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
Side effects of Benztropine
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Dry mouth
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Fast heartbeat
Less Common Side Effects
- Blurry vision
- Confusion
- Memory problems
- Fever
Benztropine serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Heatstroke: high body temperature, reduced sweating, confusion
- Hallucinations: seeing or hearing things that aren't there, confusion, agitation
- Urination problems: trouble urinating, painful urination, urinating less
When do Benztropine possible side effects begin and end?
Time passed since treatment started:
H
D
W
M
Dry mouth
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
Fast heartbeat
If a line continues to the right, you'll likely keep experiencing this side effect once it starts.
More on Benztropine side effects
The following Benztropine side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Incidence not known
Abdominal or stomach cramps or pain
aggressive and violent behavior
being forgetful
burning while urinating
confusion about identity, place, and time
decrease in frequency of urination
decrease in urine volume
difficult or painful urination
difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
difficulty with speaking
difficulty with swallowing
discouragement
dizziness
extremely high fever or body temperature
fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
fast, shallow breathing
fast, weak heartbeat
feeling sad or empty
headache
hot, dry skin
irritability
lack of appetite
lack of sweating
listlessness
loss of interest or pleasure
mood or mental changes
muscle cramps
muscle weakness
nervousness
numbness of the fingers
pale, clammy skin
seeing things that are not there
thirst
tiredness
trouble concentrating
trouble with sleeping
vomiting
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:
Symptoms of overdose
Blindness
blurred vision
change in consciousness
cold clammy skin
decreased vision
dizziness
holding false beliefs that cannot be changed by fact
lightheadedness
loss of consciousness
muscle weakness
nausea or vomiting
no breathing
nosebleeds
numbness or tingling in the face, arms, or legs
shakiness and unsteady walk
sweating
tearing
unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
unusual excitement, nervousness, or restlessness
vision problems
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get your GoodRx coupon
$22.48
GoodRx discount
$11.84
Pros and cons of Benztropine
Pros
- Available as an oral tablet (or injection)
- Helps reduce tremors and stiffness
- Dose is adjusted based on your symptoms and side effects
Cons
- Can cause severe dry mouth that can make it difficult to eat and speak
- Might reduce your ability to sweat and cause overheating
- Not a good option for young children and older adults
Pharmacist tips for Benztropine
- Work closely with your prescriber when starting benztropine. Your dose will usually start low and increase slowly to find what works best for you.
- You can take benztropine with or without food. If it upsets your stomach, try taking it with food to reduce nausea.
- Benztropine can cause dry mouth. Drinking water, chewing gum, or sucking on hard candy can help. Tell your prescriber if it makes it hard to speak, eat, or swallow.
- Benztropine can make it harder for your body to cool down. Be careful in hot weather because you can be at higher risk of overheating.
- Benztropine can cause drowsiness or blurry vision. Avoid driving or using machinery until you know how it affects you.
- Tell your prescriber about all the medications you take before starting benztropine. It can interact with some mental health medications or worsen certain conditions.
- Benztropine can make it harder to urinate, especially if you have conditions like an enlarged prostate. Contact your care team if your symptoms worsen.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Talk to your prescriber before using benztropine if you’re pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. It’s not known if it’s safe in these situations.
Risks and warnings for Benztropine
Benztropine can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Confusion and mental health effects
- Risk factors: Older adults | Having a history of mental health conditions | Taking higher doses of benztropine
Some people might have trouble thinking clearly or feel confused when taking benztropine. When you first start it or if your dose is increased, avoid driving or doing tasks that require focus until you know how it affects you.
At higher doses or in some people, benztropine can cause confusion, excitement, or even hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there). If you have a mental health condition, it could worsen your symptoms, especially when starting or increasing the dose. Your prescriber will monitor you closely during this time.
Slowed gut movement
- Risk factors: Taking tricyclic antidepressants, phenothiazines, or haloperidol
Before taking benztropine, let your prescriber know if you take tricyclic antidepressants, phenothiazines, haloperidol, or other anticholinergics. These medications can interact with benztropine and slow down or stop movement in your gut (called paralytic ileus), which can be serious. Contact your care team if you have stomach pain or discomfort.
Heatstroke
- Risk factors: Hot weather | Chronic alcohol use | Manual labor in hot environment | Certain medical conditions
Benztropine can make it harder for your body to sweat and cool down. This can raise your risk of heat stroke. Stay hydrated and try to avoid being in the heat for long periods.
If you notice that you’re not sweating, you may be at risk for overheating. Watch for symptoms like feeling very hot, dizzy, or weak. Your prescriber may need to lower your dose if this happens. Get medical help right away if you think you’re overheating.
Muscle weakness
- Risk factors: Taking higher doses of benztropine
This medication can sometimes cause weakness or trouble moving certain muscles, especially at higher doses. For example, if your neck has been stiff and suddenly relaxes, it might feel weak. If this happens, contact your prescriber, since your dose might need to be adjusted.
Benztropine dosage
The average cost for 60 tablets of 1mg of Benztropine is $11.84 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 47.33% off the average retail price of $22.48.
Interactions between Benztropine and other drugs
Benztropine may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Benztropine. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Potassium
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Clozapine
- Glucagon
- Glycopyrrolate
- Glycopyrronium Tosylate
- Methacholine
- Metoclopramide
- Quetiapine
- Revefenacin
- Scopolamine
- Secretin Human
- Tiotropium
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Betel Nut
- Chlorpromazine
- Haloperidol
How much does Benztropine cost?
To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
Benztropine (generic)
$11.84
Benztropine contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Benztropine will not be safe for you to take.
- Children younger than 3 years old
What are alternatives to Benztropine?
There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Benztropine. Compare a few possible alternatives below.
News about Benztropine
Benztropine images
