Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are Anticholinergic Drugs?How They WorkNutritionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Are Anticholinergic Drugs?
How They Work
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Anticholinergic drugstreat various medical conditions relating to the bladder, digestive system, brain, and more. While this drug class has many uses, it also has several possible side effects, includingdry mouth,constipation, and vision problems.
This article discusses what you should know about the anticholinergic drug class in terms of its uses, side effects, and how these drugs work.
In addition to interfering with acetylcholine activity, many of these medications have other mechanisms of action (ways they work) to treat various medical conditions. This means that some of these medications are in other drug classes as well as being part of the anticholinergic drug group.
Female reading pharmacy label.Natee Meepian / Getty Images
Natee Meepian / Getty Images
What Conditions Do Anticholinergic Drugs Treat?
In general, anticholinergic drugs are used to treat a diverse range of medical conditions. Some examples are:
Other thanmotion sickness, some anticholinergic drugs may also be used to treat the following brain-related and mental health conditions:
This is not a complete list of medical conditions that anticholinergic drugs treat.Reach out to a healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn how these drugs may treat your medical conditions.
List of Anticholinergic Drugs
Anticholinergic drugs are available as over-the-counter (OTC) medications and prescription products.
Examples of some OTC anticholinergic drugs are:
As for prescription anticholinergic drugs, examples are:
A number of anticholinergic prescriptions also include the followinginhalers:
Moreover, prescriptions with anticholinergic activity consist of the following brain-related or mental health medications:
This is not a complete list of anticholinergic drugs. If you’re unsure whether your medication is an anticholinergic drug, talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Side Effects
This is not a complete list of sideeffects, and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects.
If you experience other effects while taking an anticholinergic drug, contact a pharmacist or healthcare provider.
You may report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) atfda.gov/medwatchor 800-FDA-1088.
Mild or moderate side effects of anticholinergic drugs may include:
Potentially serious side effects of anticholinergic drugs may include:
In general, anticholinergic drugs may have numerous side effects depending on factors such as anticholinergic activity or long-term use of a medication. Moreover, based on individual characteristics, anticholinergic drugs might have more of an effect on you.
For example, anticholinergic drugs may increase the risk ofpsychosisin people withAlzheimer’s disease. As for people withschizophreniawho are already at risk of having early cognitive impairment, even medications with a small amount of anticholinergic activity may have a considerable impact on mental abilities.
In older adults, there is also a possible link between anticholinergic drugs with:
In addition to these possible effects on some people, combining different medications with anticholinergic drugs can worsen anticholinergic side effects.
For these reasons, you must talk with a healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions. It’s also good to make a healthcare provider and pharmacist aware of your medications, including prescriptions, over-the-counter (OTC) items, herbal products, supplements, and natural medications.
Get medical help immediately if you develop a severe allergic reaction or serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening.
How Anticholinergics Work
This attachment leads to a signaling process that plays a role in various bodily functions, including:
Nutrition Considerations
Combining different nutritional supplements, including some vitamins, with anticholinergics, may worsen anticholinergic side effects.
What’s more, malnutrition is a potentially serious side effect of anticholinergic drugs. In fact, a study of 423 older adults observed a link between medications with high anticholinergic activity and malnutrition.
This possible relationship could be due to several reasons, including:
Summary
The anticholinergic drug class is a large group of medications. On top of blocking the activity of a naturally occurring chemical called acetylcholine, many of these medications have other mechanisms of action to treat various medical conditions.
While the anticholinergic drug class has a wide range of uses, it is not without side effects. There are also potential interactions with certain medical conditions, other medications, and nutritional considerations.
To get the most out of the anticholinergic drug you take and limit its negative effects, consult a healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe anticholinergic drug class is a large group of medications. In addition to the activity of a naturally occurring chemical called acetylcholine, many of these medications have other mechanisms of action to treat various medical conditions.Some common anticholinergic drugs include Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Oxytrol (oxybutynin), and amitriptyline.A 2019 study showed a link between dementia risk and the following anticholinergic drugs: antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, certain bladder-related medications, and Parkinson’s disease medications.
The anticholinergic drug class is a large group of medications. In addition to the activity of a naturally occurring chemical called acetylcholine, many of these medications have other mechanisms of action to treat various medical conditions.
Some common anticholinergic drugs include Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Oxytrol (oxybutynin), and amitriptyline.
A 2019 study showed a link between dementia risk and the following anticholinergic drugs: antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, certain bladder-related medications, and Parkinson’s disease medications.
28 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.López-Álvarez J, Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones J, Agüera-Ortiz L.Anticholinergic drugs in geriatric psychopharmacology.Front Neurosci. 2019;13:1309. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.01309Gray SL, Anderson ML, Dublin S, et al.Cumulative use of strong anticholinergics and incident dementia: a prospective cohort study.JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(3):401-7. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7663Holden RJ, Srinivas P, Campbell NL, et al.Understanding older adults' medication decision making and behavior: A study on over-the-counter (OTC) anticholinergic medications.Res Social Adm Pharm. 2019;15(1):53-60. doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.03.002Food and Drug Administration.Advair Diskus label.MedlinePlus.Oxybutynin.MedlinePlus.Tolterodine.MedlinePlus.Diltiazem.MedlinePlus.Chlorthalidone.MedlinePlus.Furosemide.MedlinePlus.Ipratropium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Umeclidinium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Tiotropium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Aclidinium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Clozapine.MedlinePlus.Amantadine.MedlinePlus.Haloperidol.MedlinePlus.Pramipexole.MedlinePlus.Paroxetine.MedlinePlus.Mirtazapine.MedlinePlus.Quetiapine.MedlinePlus.Levodopa and carbidopa.MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.MedlinePlus.Imipramine.MedlinePlus.Oxcarbazepine.MedlinePlus.Selegiline.Encyclopaedia Britannica.Acetylcholine.Ates Bulut E, Erken N, Kaya D, et al.An increased anticholinergic Drug burden Index score negatively affect nutritional status in older patients without dementia.Front Nutr. 2022;9:789986. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.789986Coupland CAC, Hill T, Dening T, et al.Anticholinergic drug exposure and the risk of dementia: A nested case-control study.JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(8):1084-1093. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0677
28 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.López-Álvarez J, Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones J, Agüera-Ortiz L.Anticholinergic drugs in geriatric psychopharmacology.Front Neurosci. 2019;13:1309. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.01309Gray SL, Anderson ML, Dublin S, et al.Cumulative use of strong anticholinergics and incident dementia: a prospective cohort study.JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(3):401-7. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7663Holden RJ, Srinivas P, Campbell NL, et al.Understanding older adults' medication decision making and behavior: A study on over-the-counter (OTC) anticholinergic medications.Res Social Adm Pharm. 2019;15(1):53-60. doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.03.002Food and Drug Administration.Advair Diskus label.MedlinePlus.Oxybutynin.MedlinePlus.Tolterodine.MedlinePlus.Diltiazem.MedlinePlus.Chlorthalidone.MedlinePlus.Furosemide.MedlinePlus.Ipratropium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Umeclidinium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Tiotropium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Aclidinium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Clozapine.MedlinePlus.Amantadine.MedlinePlus.Haloperidol.MedlinePlus.Pramipexole.MedlinePlus.Paroxetine.MedlinePlus.Mirtazapine.MedlinePlus.Quetiapine.MedlinePlus.Levodopa and carbidopa.MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.MedlinePlus.Imipramine.MedlinePlus.Oxcarbazepine.MedlinePlus.Selegiline.Encyclopaedia Britannica.Acetylcholine.Ates Bulut E, Erken N, Kaya D, et al.An increased anticholinergic Drug burden Index score negatively affect nutritional status in older patients without dementia.Front Nutr. 2022;9:789986. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.789986Coupland CAC, Hill T, Dening T, et al.Anticholinergic drug exposure and the risk of dementia: A nested case-control study.JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(8):1084-1093. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0677
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
López-Álvarez J, Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones J, Agüera-Ortiz L.Anticholinergic drugs in geriatric psychopharmacology.Front Neurosci. 2019;13:1309. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.01309Gray SL, Anderson ML, Dublin S, et al.Cumulative use of strong anticholinergics and incident dementia: a prospective cohort study.JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(3):401-7. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7663Holden RJ, Srinivas P, Campbell NL, et al.Understanding older adults' medication decision making and behavior: A study on over-the-counter (OTC) anticholinergic medications.Res Social Adm Pharm. 2019;15(1):53-60. doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.03.002Food and Drug Administration.Advair Diskus label.MedlinePlus.Oxybutynin.MedlinePlus.Tolterodine.MedlinePlus.Diltiazem.MedlinePlus.Chlorthalidone.MedlinePlus.Furosemide.MedlinePlus.Ipratropium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Umeclidinium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Tiotropium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Aclidinium oral inhalation.MedlinePlus.Clozapine.MedlinePlus.Amantadine.MedlinePlus.Haloperidol.MedlinePlus.Pramipexole.MedlinePlus.Paroxetine.MedlinePlus.Mirtazapine.MedlinePlus.Quetiapine.MedlinePlus.Levodopa and carbidopa.MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.MedlinePlus.Imipramine.MedlinePlus.Oxcarbazepine.MedlinePlus.Selegiline.Encyclopaedia Britannica.Acetylcholine.Ates Bulut E, Erken N, Kaya D, et al.An increased anticholinergic Drug burden Index score negatively affect nutritional status in older patients without dementia.Front Nutr. 2022;9:789986. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.789986Coupland CAC, Hill T, Dening T, et al.Anticholinergic drug exposure and the risk of dementia: A nested case-control study.JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(8):1084-1093. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0677
López-Álvarez J, Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones J, Agüera-Ortiz L.Anticholinergic drugs in geriatric psychopharmacology.Front Neurosci. 2019;13:1309. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.01309
Gray SL, Anderson ML, Dublin S, et al.Cumulative use of strong anticholinergics and incident dementia: a prospective cohort study.JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(3):401-7. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7663
Holden RJ, Srinivas P, Campbell NL, et al.Understanding older adults' medication decision making and behavior: A study on over-the-counter (OTC) anticholinergic medications.Res Social Adm Pharm. 2019;15(1):53-60. doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.03.002
Food and Drug Administration.Advair Diskus label.
MedlinePlus.Oxybutynin.
MedlinePlus.Tolterodine.
MedlinePlus.Diltiazem.
MedlinePlus.Chlorthalidone.
MedlinePlus.Furosemide.
MedlinePlus.Ipratropium oral inhalation.
MedlinePlus.Umeclidinium oral inhalation.
MedlinePlus.Tiotropium oral inhalation.
MedlinePlus.Aclidinium oral inhalation.
MedlinePlus.Clozapine.
MedlinePlus.Amantadine.
MedlinePlus.Haloperidol.
MedlinePlus.Pramipexole.
MedlinePlus.Paroxetine.
MedlinePlus.Mirtazapine.
MedlinePlus.Quetiapine.
MedlinePlus.Levodopa and carbidopa.
MedlinePlus.Carbamazepine.
MedlinePlus.Imipramine.
MedlinePlus.Oxcarbazepine.
MedlinePlus.Selegiline.
Encyclopaedia Britannica.Acetylcholine.
Ates Bulut E, Erken N, Kaya D, et al.An increased anticholinergic Drug burden Index score negatively affect nutritional status in older patients without dementia.Front Nutr. 2022;9:789986. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.789986
Coupland CAC, Hill T, Dening T, et al.Anticholinergic drug exposure and the risk of dementia: A nested case-control study.JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(8):1084-1093. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0677
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