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Potentially life-threatening emergency
Anticholinergic syndrome
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed
Potentially life-threatening emergency

Anticholinergic syndrome

Contributors: Ella Purington MD, Kristine Nanagas MD, Blake A. Froberg MD, Gerald F. O'Malley DO
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed

Synopsis

In the United States, the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 is available 24 hours a day to connect callers directly to their region's poison center. They are also available online.

Anticholinergic syndrome follows exposure to substances that are muscarinic receptor antagonists. Clinical effects include tachycardia, delirium, hallucinations, mydriasis, dry skin and mucous membranes, urinary retention, decreased gastric motility, and occasionally hyperthermia.

Implicated medications include anticholinergics such as atropine, benztropine, and scopolamine; antihistamines such as diphenhydramine; antipsychotics such as clozapine and quetiapine, antispasmodics such as dicyclomine and oxybutynin; tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and imipramine; and muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine.

Some plants such as Jimson weed (Datura stramonium) and deadly nightshade, also known as belladonna (Atropa belladonna), have anticholinergic properties.

Related topic: poisoning caused by sedative

Codes

ICD10CM:
T44.3X1A – Poisoning by other parasympatholytics [anticholinergics and antimuscarinics] and spasmolytics, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter

SNOMEDCT:
216593002 – Accidental poisoning by anticholinergic

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References

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Last Reviewed:09/04/2022
Last Updated:07/29/2024
Copyright © 2024 VisualDx®. All rights reserved.
Potentially life-threatening emergency
Anticholinergic syndrome
A medical illustration showing key findings of Anticholinergic syndrome : Agitation, Flushing, Delirium, Mydriasis, Anhidrosis
Copyright © 2024 VisualDx®. All rights reserved.