http://www.fpnotebook.com/

Anticholinergic ToxicityAka: Anticholinergic Poisoning, Anticholinergic Symptoms

Causes
1. See Anticholinergic Medications
2. Antihistamines
3. Tricyclic Antidepressants
4. Incapacitating Agents: BZ
5. Ingested items
  1. Jimsonweed
  2. Amanita muscaria mushrooms
6. Parasympatholytic medications
  1. Atropine
  2. Scopolamine
  3. Hyoscyamine
Symptoms: Mnemonic (antimuscarinic)
1. Hot as a hare (Hyperthermia)
2. Dry as a bone (Dry Skin)
3. Red as a beet (Flushed)
4. Blind as bat (Mydriasis)
5. Mad as a hatter (Delirium)
Symptoms: Complete List (antimuscarinic)
1. Altered Level of Consciousness
  1. Hallucinations
  2. Delirium
  3. Coma
2. Seizures
3. Tachycardia
4. Hypertension
5. Hyperthermia (hot, Dry Skin)
6. Dry Mouth
7. Mydriasis with blurred vision
8. Decreased bowel sounds
9. Constipation
10. Urinary retention
Management
1. Control hyperthermia
2. Antidote: Physostigmine (Usually contraindicated)

Navigation Tree

Please see the Terms and Conditions. Please also see the privacy statement regarding advertising on this page. Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers. Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, and was last revised 1/26/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0.