Dicycloverine

Dicycloverine, also known as dicyclomine, is a medication that is used to treat spasms of the intestines such as occur in irritable bowel syndrome. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a muscle. While it has been used in baby colic and enterocolitis, evidence does not support these uses. Dicycloverine, also known as dicyclomine, is a medication that is used to treat spasms of the intestines such as occur in irritable bowel syndrome. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a muscle. While it has been used in baby colic and enterocolitis, evidence does not support these uses. Common side effects include dry mouth, blurry vision, weakness, sleepiness, and lightheadedness. Serious side effects may include psychosis and breathing problems in babies. Use in pregnancy appears to be safe while use during breastfeeding is not recommended. How it works is not entirely clear. Dicycloverine was approved for medical use in the United States in 1950. It is available as a generic medication. In the United Kingdom the NHS pays about 1.84 £ per dose as of 2019. In the United States the wholesale cost of this amount is about 0.15 USD. In 2016 it was the 178th most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 3 million prescriptions. Dicyclomine is used to treat the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, specifically hypermotility, in adults. As of 2016, clinical guidelines recommended dicycloverine and other antispasmodics for IBS with diarrhea as a first line treatment, although the evidence for their effectiveness was very weak. This medicine should not be used for people who have an obstructive GI or urinary condition, severe ulcerative colitis, reflux, any unstable cardiac condition, glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, and anyone who is acutely bleeding. It should not be given to children or infants with colic due to the risks of convulsions, difficult breathing, irritability, and restlessness, and there is little evidence to support the efficacy in such use in any case. Because dicycloverine is known to impair thinking and coordination, people taking the drug should avoid driving or operating machinery. The effect on a fetus or on a breastfeeding child is not well understood. Dicycloverine can cause a range of anticholinergic side effects such as dry mouth, nausea, blurred vision, dizziness, confusion, severe constipation, stomach pain, heart palpitations, difficulty urinating, and seizures.