BENZTROPINE

(BENZ troe peen) Brand: Cogentin

What is the most significant information I must know about benztropine?

• You must not take this medicine if you are allergic to benztropine, or if you are also taking a medicine called pramlintide (Symlin).

• Till you take benztropine, speak if you have glaucoma, kidney or liver malady, heart malady, tall blood pressure, a history of heart onslaught or stroke, a breathing mess, a nerve or muscle mess, seizures, urination problems, overactive thyroid, mental diseases, or a stomach or intestinal disorder.

• Avoid taking a diarrhea medicine or antacid within 2 hours till or after you take benztropine. Also avoid taking ketoconazole (Nizoral) within 2 hours after you take benztropine.

• Benztropine may reason blurred vision or impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.

• Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercice and in hot weather. Benztropine can decrease perspiration and you may be more prone to heat stroke.

• Do not stop taking this medicine without first talking to your doctor. Stopping suddenly may create your condition worse. You may need to use smaller and smaller till you stop the medicine completely.

What is benztropine?

• Benztropine reduces the effects of determined chemicals in the body that may become unbalanced as a result of malady (such as Parkinson's), drug therapy, or another causes.

• Benztropine is used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's malady, such as muscle spasms, stiffness, tremors, sweating, drooling, and poor muscle control.

• Benztropine is also used to treat and prevent these symptoms when they are caused by drugs such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), perphenazine (Trilafon), and others.

• Benztropine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking benztropine?

• You must not take this medicine if you are allergic to benztropine, or if you are also taking a medicine called pramlintide (Symlin).

• To create certain you can safely take benztropine, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· glaucoma;

· heart malady, a heart rhythm mess, history of heart attack;

· tall or low blood pressure;

· asthma, emphysema, or another breathing disorder;

· kidney or liver disease;

· a nerve disorder;

· a muscle mess such as myasthenia gravis;

· seizures;

· enlarged prostate, urination problems;

· overactive thyroid;

· mental diseases or dementia;

· stomach ulcer, reflux malady, hiatal hernia; or

· ulcerative colitis, history of bowel obstruction, or another intestinal disorder.

• It is not known whether benztropine will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• It is not known whether benztropine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

• Benztropine must not be given to a baby younger than 3 years old.

How must I take benztropine?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Drink plenty of liquids while you are taking benztropine.

• Benztropine is sometimes given up to 4 times daily, at meals and at bedtime. If you take benztropine only once for day, it may be excellent to take the medicine at bedtime. Follow your doctor's instructions.

• Benztropine can be taken with food to lessen stomach upset.

• Your mouth may feel dry while taking benztropine. To prevent or relieve dry mouth, suck on a piece of sugar-free heavy candy, chew sugar-free gum, drink water, chew on ice chips, or use a saliva substitute.

• Dry mouth may lead to gum malady or cavities. Brush and floss your teeth regularly and see a dentist for routine check-ups while you are taking benztropine.

• It may take up to 3 days till your symptoms improve. Hold using the medicine as directed and speak your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Since benztropine is sometimes taken only when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medicine regularly, take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose can reason confusion, severe dizziness, hallucinations, loss of balance or coordination, vomiting, hard sweating, hot and dry skin, numbness, urinating smaller than normal, dilated pupils, quick or pounding heartbeats, muscle weakness, weak or shallow breathing, buzzing in your ears, seizures, and fainting.

What must I avoid while taking benztropine?

• Avoid taking a diarrhea medicine (such as Kaopectate, Donnagel, or Rheaban) or an antacid (such as Amphojel, Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, Rulox, or Tums) within 2 hours till or after you take benztropine. These medications can create it harder for your body to absorb benztropine, which can create it smaller effective.

• Also avoid taking ketoconazole (Nizoral) within 2 hours after you take benztropine. Benztropine can create it harder for your body to absorb ketoconazole.

• Benztropine may reason blurred vision or impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.

• Avoid getting up too quick from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

• Drinking alcohol can magnify determined side effects of benztropine.

• Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercice and in hot weather. Benztropine can decrease perspiration and you may be more prone to heat stroke.

What are the possible side effects of benztropine?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;

· feeling very weak;

· feeling too weak to move;

· confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;

· urinating smaller than normal or not at all;

· severe constipation;

· dry mouth that interferes with speech, swallowing, appetite, or eating;

· feeling very thirsty or hot, being unable to urinate, hard sweating, or hot and dry skin;

· blurred vision, eye pain, or seeing halos near lights; or

· twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, person, arms, or legs.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· depressed mood, memory problems;

· drowsiness, feeling nervous or excited;

· nausea, upset stomach;

· dry mouth (mild);

· double vision, heighten sensitivity to easy; or

· numbness in your fingers;

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect benztropine?

• Till using benztropine, speak your doctor if you regularly use another medicines that create you sleepy (such as cool or allergy medication, sedatives, narcotic pain medication, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medication for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by benztropine.

• Speak your doctor about all another medications you use, especially:

· amantadine (Symmetrel);

· glycopyrrolate (Robinul);

· mepenzolate (Cantil);

· a diuretic (water pill);

· potassium supplements (K-Lyte, K-Dur, Klor-Con, and others);

· an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and others;

· atropine (Atreza, Sal-Tropine), belladonna (Donnatal, and others), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), meclizine (Antivert), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop);

· bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), flavoxate (Urispas), oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare);

· bronchodilators such as ipratropium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva);

· irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine);

· medication to treat Alzheimer's dementia, such as donepezil (Aricept) or galantamine (Razadyne); or

· medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Permitil, Prolixin), haloperidol (Haldol); perphenazine (Trilafon), prochlorperazine (Compazine, Compro), promethazine (Pentazine, Phenergan, Anergan, Antinaus), thioridazine (Mellaril), or trifluoperazine (Stelazine).

• This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with benztropine. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about benztropine.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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