• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

What is atropine?
Atropine produces many effects in the body, including relief from spasms of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestines), the bladder, and the biliary tract. This is helpful in controlling conditions such as colitis, spastic bladder, diverticulitis, infant colic, renal and biliary colic, peptic ulcer, and irritable bowel syndrome. Atropine also reduces the secretions of many organs, thereby helping to control conditions such as excessive stomach acid production and excessive secretion from the pancreas; to reduce secretions of the nose, lungs, salivary glands, and stomach before surgery; and to help dry up excessive mucus production associated with diseases, infections, and allergies.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of atropine?

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking atropine and seek emergency medical attention:

• an allergic reaction (swelling of your lips, tongue, or face, difficulty breathing, closing of your throat, or hives);

• an irregular or fast heart rate;

• rash or flushing; or

• eye pain.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take atropine and talk to your doctor if you experience

• headache, dizziness or lightheadedness;

• weakness or nervousness;

• blurred vision, large pupils, or sensitivity of the eyes to bright light;

• nausea, bloating, heartburn, or constipation;

• changes in taste;

• difficulty urinating;

• decreased sweating; or

• nasal congestion, stuffiness, or a dry mouth.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

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How should I take atropine?
Take atropine exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Store atropine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

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What is the most important information I should know about atropine?
Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Atropine may cause dizziness, drowsiness, or blurred vision. If you experience dizziness, drowsiness, or blurred vision, avoid these activities. Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking atropine. Avoid becoming overheated in hot weather. Atropine increases the risk of heat stroke because it causes decreased sweating.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

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What other drugs will affect atropine?
Many other drugs may increase the side effects of atropine. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: amantadine (Symmetrel); quinidine (Quinaglute, Cardioquin, Quinora, Quinidex); antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, many others), brompheniramine (Dimetapp, Bromphen, many others), triprolidine (Actifed, others), and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton, others), which are found in many over-the-counter and prescription cough, cold, and allergy medications;

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Atropine has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have not been reported. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Atropine is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

Some experts recommend that the use of atropine during pregnancy be limited to its use as a preoperative, preanesthetic agent to reduce salivation and bronchial secretions. One case, in which atropine was successfully used to treat organophosphate poisoning in a woman at gestation week 35 has been reported. Atropine rapidly crosses the human placenta. In one study of 44 healthy pregnant women, a maximum umbilical to maternal vein ratio of 1.27 was observed 6 minutes after administration of 0.01 mg/kg intravenously. The corresponding umbilical and maternal vein atropine levels were 22 and 17 nmol/L, respectively. The concentrations after intramuscular injection were lower. In another study of 25 pregnant women, labeled atropine was given intravenously prior to delivery to quantify placental transfer and fetal distribution of the drug. The concentrations in the umbilical vein 1 and 5 minutes after injection were 12% and 93%, respectively, of the corresponding maternal value. Concentrations in the umbilical artery were approximately 50% of those in the umbilical vein during the same period. Studies have shown that administration of atropine to a pregnant woman during the last trimester can mask the effects of vagal stimulation on the fetal heart, producing tachycardia within 5 to 30 minutes after injection. Limited data have shown that atropine can suppress fetal breathing, although fetal hypoxia has not been observed. There has also been concern that atropine could reduce lower esophageal sphincter pressure enough to predispose the newborn to aspiration. Uterine contractility does not appear to be significantly affected by atropine. This is thought to be due to a decrease in the sensitivity of muscarinic receptors on myometrial tissue during pregnancy. The Collaborative Perinatal Project monitored 50,282 mother-child pairs, of which 401 pairs were exposed to atropine during lunar months 1 through 4. Of the 401 pairs, 25 malformed children were observed. The calculated crude relative risk for malformation associated with atropine was 0.96. These data do not support an association between the use of atropine and congenital defects. Of the 50,282 mother-child pairs, 2,323 pairs had been exposed to parasympatholytic drugs, in general. Of these 2,323 pairs, 168 malformed children were observed, yielding a crude relative risk of 1.13. These data support an possible association between the use of some parasympatholytic agents and congenital defects. The Michigan Medicaid surveillance study showed an association between the use of atropine and congenital defects (written communication, Franz Rosa, MD, Food and Drug Administration, 1994). This report is a retrospective study of 229,101 pregnant women, of whom 381 received atropine during the first trimester between 1985 to 1992. Eighteen total defects and 4 cardiovascular defects were observed (16 and 4 were expected, respectively). The incidences of total and cardiovascular defects were not statistically greater than expected. A statistically significant incidence of limb reduction defects was observed (2 observed; 0.4 expected). Cleft palate was not observed. Of the 229,101 deliveries, 3,996 had exposure to atropine at any time during pregnancy. There were no statistically significant differences between the observed and expected incidences of brain or eye abnormalities among these 3,996. These data support an association between the use of atropine and some congenital defects, although other factors, such as underlying disease(s) of the mother and concomitant medications were not controlled. The use of diphenoxylate-atropine has been associated with congenital anomalies (one case report). The mother had taken diphenoxylate-atropine for diarrhea (probably of a viral etiology) during gestational week 10. A term infant was born at 36 weeks' gestation with multiple defects, including Ebstein's anomaly, hypertelorism, epicanthal folds, low-set ears, a cleft uvula, deafness, and blindness. Since exposure to atropine or diphenoxylate was at a later time during her gestation than when these stages of development occur, the authors of this case report did not consider the drugs causative of the anomalies.

Atropine is excreted into human milk in trace amounts. Caution should be exercised when atropine is administered to a nursing woman because of neonates' sensitivity to anticholinergic agents (probably because of immaturity of motor endplates). The gastrointestinal bioavailability of atropine in neonates has not been reported. The American Academy of Pediatrics considers atropine to be compatible with breast-feeding.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• No absolute contraindications to use in life-threatening conditions (e.g., poisoning by organophosphate nerve agents and pesticides).

• Relative contraindications include:

  • known hypersensitivity to atropine or any ingredient in the formulation
  • angle-closure glaucoma
  • obstructive uropathy (e.g., bladder neck obstruction secondary to prostatic hypertrophy)
  • obstructive GI disease (e.g., pyloroduodenal stenosis, achalasia)
  • paralytic ileus
  • intestinal atony (especially in geriatric and debilitated patients)
  • severe ulcerative colitis
  • toxic megacolon
  • tachycardia secondary to cardiac insufficiency or thyrotoxicosis
  • acute hemorrhage when cardiovascular status is unstable
  • myasthenia gravis (unless used to reduce adverse muscarinic effects of an anticholinesterase agent such as neostigmine)

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What does my medication look like?
Atropine is available with a prescription under the generic name atropine sulfate in 0.4 mg and 0.6 mg tablets. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a atropine overdose include headache; nausea; vomiting; dry mouth; difficulty swallowing; blurred vision; dilated pupils; hot, dry skin; dizziness; drowsiness; confusion; anxiety; seizures; weak pulse; and an irregular heartbeat.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking atropine?
Do not take atropine if you have kidney disease; a blockage of your urinary tract (difficulty urinating); a blockage in your intestines, severe ulcerative colitis, or ulcerative colitis complicated by toxic megacolon; glaucoma; or myasthenia gravis. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have numbness or tingling in your hands or feet; liver disease; ulcerative colitis; thyroid problems; high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, or any type of heart disease; hiatal hernia or reflux disease;

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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