What is dicyclomine (anticholinergic medication)?

From the Guidelines

Dicyclomine should be used in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to reduce abdominal pain and improve global relief of IBS symptoms, as suggested by the AGA clinical practice guideline 1. The AGA suggests using antispasmodics, including dicyclomine, in patients with IBS, based on a Cochrane Review that included 22 RCTs evaluating 2983 patients with IBS 1.

• Key points to consider when using dicyclomine for IBS include:
  • The medication works by reducing smooth muscle contraction and possibly visceral hypersensitivity
  • Common side effects include dry mouth, dizziness, and blurred vision
  • Dicyclomine should be used cautiously in elderly patients and is contraindicated in certain conditions such as glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, gastrointestinal obstruction, and severe ulcerative colitis
  • Patients should take dicyclomine 30-60 minutes before meals for optimal effect and avoid alcohol while using this medication
• The overall certainty in evidence for the use of antispasmodics in IBS is low due to the serious risk of bias and publication bias, but the AGA suggests using them based on a conditional recommendation 1.
• The effect of individual antispasmodics, including dicyclomine, is difficult to interpret due to the small number of studies evaluated for each drug, but the available evidence suggests that antispasmodics can provide adequate global relief of IBS symptoms and improve abdominal pain 1.

From the FDA Drug Label

Dicyclomine hydrochloride is an antispasmodic and anticholinergic (antimuscarinic) agent Dicyclomine hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of patients with functional bowel/irritable bowel syndrome.

The drug dicyclocamine is actually dicyclomine, which is an antispasmodic and anticholinergic agent.

• The main use of dicyclomine is for the treatment of functional bowel/irritable bowel syndrome 2 2.

From the Research

Dicyclocamine Overview

• Dicyclocamine is another name for dicyclomine, a medication with anticholinergic properties.
• The study 3 investigated the effects of dicyclomine hydrochloride on uninhibited neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

Anticholinergic Effects

• The study 3 found that dicyclomine had significant anticholinergic effects, blocking uninhibited detrusor contractions and increasing bladder capacity in 11 out of 14 patients.
• The remaining 3 patients also showed similar but less dramatic changes.

Side Effects

• According to the study 3, no remarkable side effects were observed in patients taking dicyclomine.
• The medication seems to be well-tolerated, with effective anticholinergic properties and minimal side effects.