Buscopan (Hyoscine Butylbromide) Dosing for Adults
For a typical adult patient with no significant medical history, the standard dose of Buscopan is 10-20 mg intravenously or 30 mg daily orally (divided into three 10 mg doses), depending on the clinical indication.
Intravenous Dosing
- 10-20 mg IV is the standard dose for diagnostic procedures such as gastrointestinal radiography, providing adequate spasmolytic effect with minimal side effects 1
- 20 mg IV is specifically effective for double contrast barium enema examinations, allowing significantly greater distension of the large bowel without observed side effects even in elderly patients 2
- 40 mg IV has been used successfully for duodenal relaxation in tubeless duodenography, with the intravenous route proving most efficient 3
- Peak effect occurs within 15 minutes of IV administration, making it suitable for procedural use 1, 2
Oral Dosing
- 30 mg daily (10 mg three times daily) is the standard oral dose for therapeutic indications such as irritable bowel syndrome 4
- Oral administration at 20 mg was found ineffective for altering colonic dimensions during radiographic procedures, suggesting IV route is superior for diagnostic applications 2
- Treatment duration of 4 weeks showed significant improvement in abdominal pain symptoms compared to placebo in irritable bowel syndrome patients 4
Safety Profile
- Buscopan demonstrates excellent safety with only 5% of patients experiencing adverse effects that did not require treatment 4
- The medication is considered safe even in elderly patients when administered intravenously at standard doses 2
- No troublesome side effects were observed at doses of 10-20 mg IV in a prospective study of 300 patients 1
Clinical Context
- For diagnostic procedures (gastroduodenal radiography, barium studies), use 10-20 mg IV 1, 2
- For therapeutic indications (irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal cramping), use 30 mg daily orally in divided doses 4
- Buscopan is considered superior to other antispasmodics like Probanthine and glucagon in terms of safety, low incidence of side effects, and efficacy 3