Class: Antimuscarinics/Antispasmodics
VA Class: AU350
CAS Number: 51-34-3
Brands: Scopace, Transderm Scop
Introduction
Antimuscarinic; naturally occurring tertiary amine.
Uses for Scopolamine
Motion Sickness
Prevention of motion-induced nausea and vomiting; considered most effective drug for this use.
Oral or IM administration usually reserved for patients exposed to short periods of intense motion or those highly susceptible to motion because these routes have short duration of effect and high incidence of adverse effects.
Transdermal administration is effective and has fewer adverse effects and increased duration compared with oral administration.
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Used transdermally for prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with recovery from anesthesia and surgery, but efficacy is equivocal.
Surgery
Has been used preoperatively to inhibit salivation and excessive respiratory tract secretions, but use of general anesthetics (e.g., thiopental [no longer commercially available in the US], halothane) that do not stimulate secretions has reduced the need for this use.
Used preoperatively and in obstetrics in conjunction with analgesics or sedatives to produce tranquilization and amnesia; however, benzodiazepines may be preferred.
Has greater sedative, antisecretory (e.g., on respiratory secretions), and antiemetic effects than atropine; however, less effective than atropine in preventing intraoperative cholinergic effects (e.g., cardiac arrhythmias, hypotension, bradycardia).
Parkinsonian Syndrome
Has been used for symptomatic treatment of parkinsonian syndrome; however, antimuscarinincs generally have been replaced with dopaminergic drugs.
Scopolamine Dosage and Administration
Administration
Administer orally or by IM, direct IV, or sub-Q injection; also may administer percutaneously by topical application of a transdermal system (T...
