Cevimeline vs. Pilocarpine for Dry Mouth: Important Differences and Potential Risks.

Cevimeline

(Evoxac)

pilocarpine eye drops

Summary for Cevimeline

Prescription only

Cevimeline, also known by its brand name, Evoxac, is a prescription cholinergic agonist used to treat dry mouth (xerostomia) in adults with Sjögren's syndrome. It's available as both brand-name and generic capsules, with a typical dose of 30 mg taken by mouth three times per day. The most common side effects are excessive sweating, nausea, and headache.

Indications for Cevimeline

Dry mouth due to Sjögren's syndrome

Pros and Cons for Cevimeline

Pros

FDA approved to treat dry mouth from Sjögren's syndrome
Available as a lower-cost generic
Might have less side effects than alternative pilocarpine (Salagen)

Cons

Can affect your vision and make it harder to see, especially at night
Need to take a dose three times per day
Interacts with a lot of medications

Common Side Effects for Cevimeline

Sweating (19%)
Headache (14%)
Nausea (14%)
Sinus inflammation (12%)
Runny nose (11%)
Diarrhea (10%)
Stomach discomfort and pain (8%)
Urinary tract infection (6%)
Coughing (6%)
Vomiting (5%)

Warnings for Cevimeline

Worsening heart problems
Worsening lung problems
Vision changes
Gallstones or kidney stones

Summary for Pilocarpine

Prescription only

Generic pilocarpine eye drops, formerly known by the brand name Isopto Carpine, are used to treat and prevent high eye pressure. They're also used to shrink the pupil (the black part of your eye), typically before certain eye procedures. This medication belongs to the drug class called cholinergic agonists. The usual dosage is 1 drop in the eye(s) up to 4 times a day. Side effects can include headache, temporary blurry vision, and eye irritation.

Indications for Pilocarpine

High pressure in the eye
Glaucoma (open-angle or acute angle-closure)
Prevention of high eye pressure due to laser eye surgery
Shrinking the size of the pupils (miosis)

Pros and Cons for Pilocarpine

Pros

Lowers eye pressure to prevent long-term damage, such as blindness
Can use for adults and children
Available as a lower-cost generic

Cons

Not a first-choice medication for treating glaucoma long term
Sometimes need to use up to 4 times a day
Can make it hard to see clearly at night or to focus on objects at different distances, so might not be safe for you to drive after you use the eye drops

Common Side Effects for Pilocarpine

Side effects occurring in 5% or more of people:

Headache or eyebrow ache
Difficulty focusing when looking at objects at different distances
Blurry vision
Eye irritation
Worse vision
Eye pain

Note: Side effects listed were reported by people who used the 2% strength of pilocarpine eye drops with Betoptic-S (betaxolol) 0.25% eye drops.

Warnings for Pilocarpine

Worse vision
Retinal detachment
Not recommended for people with inflamed iris
Higher eye pressure in children
Don't wear soft contact lenses when you use pilocarpine eye drops

Prices with our coupons for Cevimeline vs. Pilocarpine

Cevimeline90 capsules / 30mg

$56.38$195.20

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Pilocarpine1 eye dropper / 15ml of 2%

$31.31$96.99

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Cevimeline vs. Pilocarpine

Cevimeline

pilocarpine eye drops

Summary for Cevimeline

Indications for Cevimeline

Pros and Cons for Cevimeline

Pros

Cons

Common Side Effects for Cevimeline

Warnings for Cevimeline

Summary for Pilocarpine

Indications for Pilocarpine

Pros and Cons for Pilocarpine

Pros

Cons

Common Side Effects for Pilocarpine

Warnings for Pilocarpine

Prices with our coupons for Cevimeline vs. Pilocarpine

Browse medications by letter

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Cevimeline

pilocarpine eye drops

Summary for Cevimeline

Indications for Cevimeline

Pros and Cons for Cevimeline

Pros

Cons

Common Side Effects for Cevimeline

Warnings for Cevimeline

Summary for Pilocarpine

Indications for Pilocarpine

Pros and Cons for Pilocarpine

Pros

Cons

Common Side Effects for Pilocarpine

Warnings for Pilocarpine