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Glycopyrrolate
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Description
Glycopyrrolate is used as a general anaesthetic. It is also used in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a respiratory condition that causes blockage of airflow to your lungs) and gastric ulcers (soreness or damage in the inner lining of your stomach and intestine). It also reduces drooling in children due to certain conditions. It works by controlling the excess production of saliva, stomach acid, and secretions in your windpipe and lungs.
Glycopyrrolate shows some side effects like tiredness, stuffy nose, decreased sweating, dry mouth, and constipation. Consult your doctor if any side effects persist or worsen.
Glycopyrrolate should be taken as instructed by your doctor. The dose and frequency of intake will be decided by your doctor depending on your clinical condition. Take it every day at the same time for better results. You should never take more than the prescribed dose as it leads to undesired effects. Inhaling capsules should be taken using a rotahaler and should be changed every six months. You should take respules using nebulizers. Injections should only be taken in a hospital setting by qualified healthcare professionals.
Glycopyrrolate is not recommended if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor if you have any medical conditions, or are taking any other medications. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding before taking Glycopyrrolate.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Glycopyrrolate
Constipation
Difficulty or painful urination
Difficulty in breathing
Nasal congestion
Unsual tiredness or weakness
Dizziness
Increase in heart rate
Abdominal discomfort
Vomiting
Blurred vision
Rash, itching, and swelling of face/throat/tongue
Dry mouth
Decreased sweating
Uses of Glycopyrrolate
What is it prescribed for?
Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia is a temporary loss of sensation in your body. Glycopyrrolate is used for reducing the saliva, secretions of the windpipe and lungs before surgery. It is also used to prevent low heart rate and as a sedative (sleep-inducing) during an operation.
Peptic ulcer
A Peptic ulcer is a sore or damaged lining of your stomach and intestine due to excess production of stomach acid. Glycopyrrolate is used in the treatment of peptic ulcers along with other medicines.
Excessive salivation
Glycopyrrolate is used to treat excessive salivation in children between 3-16 years of age due to conditions such as cerebral palsy (a disorder that affects movement, muscle tension, and posture).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is a lung disease that is characterized by symptoms such as breathing difficulties, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, etc. Glycopyrrolate is used in the treatment of this condition.
Concerns
Commonly asked questions
Onset of action
The effect of Glycopyrrolate can be observed within 1 minute of intravenous administration and 15-30 minutes upon intramuscular administration.Duration of effect
The amount of time for which Glycopyrrolate remains effective in your body is subject to vary based on the intended use and route of administration.Safe with alcohol?
Avoid consumption of alcohol while taking Glycopyrrolate as it may increase the risk of side effects. Avoid performing activities that need high mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating heavy machines.Is it habit forming?
No habit-forming tendency was reported for Glycopyrrolate.Usage in pregnancy?
There is limited information available about the use of Glycopyrrolate during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.Usage while breast-feeding?
It is not known if Glycopyrrolate passes into breastmilk. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Allergy
Avoid taking Glycopyrrolate if you are allergic to it. Allergic reactions to this medicine are rare. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching, swelling especially of the face/tongue/throat, severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis is a condition of weakness of your muscles, double vision, difficulty in chewing and speaking. It is caused due to interference in passing nerve signals to the muscles. Avoid Glycopyrrolate in this condition, as it may worsen your condition.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition of blurred vision. It is caused due to an increase in internal eye pressure damaging the nerve responsible for vision. Glycopyrrolate is not recommended if you have glaucoma as it may worsen your condition.
Obstructive uropathy
Obstructive uropathy is a disturbance in the normal flow of urine due to obstruction. Glycopyrrolate is not recommended if you have obstructive uropathy as it may worsen your condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
There is limited information available about the use of Glycopyrrolate during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Breast-feeding
It is not known if Glycopyrrolate passes into breastmilk. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
General warnings
Driving or operating machines
Use of Glycopyrrolate may cause blurred vision or dizziness. Avoid performing activities that need high mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating heavy machines.
Liver Disease
Use Glycopyrrolate with caution if you have liver problems.
Hyperthyroidism
Use Glycopyrrolate with caution if you have hyperthyroidism due to the increased risk of side effects.
Kidney Disease
Glycopyrrolate is not recommended if you have severe kidney failure. In case of mild to moderate kidney problems, use Glycopyrrolate with caution as this medicine is excreted by the kidneys. Regular monitoring of kidney function is necessary while receiving this medicine. Your doctor may adjust the dose and if required may give a suitable replacement of the medicine based on your clinical condition.
Exercise
Avoid physical exercise or exposure to hot weather while taking Glycopyrrolate. It increases body temperature and decreases sweating which may lead to heatstroke.
Missed Dose
Oral forms: Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Injection: Since this medicine is usually administered by a qualified healthcare professional in the clinical/hospital setting, the likelihood of a missed dose is very low.
Overdose
Oral forms: Seek emergency medical treatment or contact your doctor in case of an overdose.
Injection: Since this medicine is administered in the hospital or clinical setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the likelihood of an overdose is very low. However, emergency medical treatment will be initiated by your doctor if an overdose is suspected.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Avoid consumption of alcohol while taking Glycopyrrolate as it may increase the risk of side effects. Avoid performing activities that need high mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating heavy machines.
Interaction with Medicine
Potassium Chloride
Topiramate
Clozapine
Dicyclomine
Zonisamide
Disease interactions
Arrhythmia
Arrhythmias is a condition in which your heart beats irregularly. Glycopyrrolate should be used with extreme caution if you have arrhythmia as it increases heart rate and may worsen your health condition. Consult your doctor before taking the medicine.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Oral forms: Take Glycopyrrolate as instructed by your doctor.
Injection: Glycopyrrolate is usually administered in the clinical/hospital setting under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional. Follow all the instructions given by your doctor. Inform the doctor if you have a known allergy to this medicine.
Take inhaling capsules using Rotahaler or Revolizer. Change Rotahaler or Revolizer every six months.
Take Glycopyrrolate Respules with a nebulizer.
Avoid taking in larger amounts than prescribed.
Consult your doctor if you experience any undesirable effects.
Follow up regularly with your doctor while taking this medicine.
Report all your current medicines as well as your medical conditions to your doctor before receiving this medicine.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Glycopyrrolate works by blocking the action of certain chemicals in your body, thereby reducing the production of stomach acid, saliva and secretion in your windpipe.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Anticholinergics/antispasmodics
Schedule
Schedule H
TGA eBS - Product and Consumer Medicine Information Licence [Internet]. Ebs.tga.gov.au. 2018 [cited 6 October 2018]. Available from:
DailyMed - GLYCOPYRROLATE- glycopyrrolate injection [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2018 [cited 6 October 2018]. Available from:
Glycopyrrolate: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2019 [cited 11 September 2019]. Available from:
Glycopyrronium Bromide 200 micrograms/ml Solution for Injection - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) [Internet]. Medicines.org.uk. 2019 [cited 11 September 2019]. Available from:
CiplaMed. 2021. GLYCOHALE Respule. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 16 August 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Glycopyrronium Bromide 1mg Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 30 August 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 16 Nov 2021
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.