Buscopan: What Is It And What Are Its Side Effects

The active ingredient in buscopan is included within the semisynthetic alkaloids of belladonna. They are also known as “quaternary ammonium compounds” in the most professional fields.

Belladonna is a plant that enjoyed great popularity during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, for very different reasons than today. Previously it was used for aesthetic purposes, to beautify women, but currently, its extracts are used for various purposes : antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, anticholinergic, and so on.

Let’s see in more detail below what buscopan is used for and other aspects of interest, such as its side effects.

What is busker used for?

This class of compounds have common effects with this plant, which has a high toxicity. Thus, its main function is antispasmodic action. That is, it reduces sharp, involuntary and continuous contractions in certain body regions. These areas are generally found in the gastrointestinal, biliary, and genitourinary tracts.

It is also used as an analgesic (another property of belladonna) in the mentioned body regions. This relieves pain in certain clinical situations. For example, in menstruation, in diarrhea, during a situation of stress or anxiety, etc.

How should buscopan be taken?

In adults the recommended dose of this medicine is 1 or 2 tablets 3 times a day. However, in no case should we take more than 6 pills a day.

As a general rule, the tablets should be taken whole and without chewing. And always accompanied by an adequate amount of liquid to swallow them more easily.

On the other hand, buscopan can also appear in the form of suppositories. In this case, its use will be 3-4 times a day.

In no case should this figure be increased above 4 suppositories per day. The medical team may need to adjust the dose to avoid future complications.

Treatment duration

In general, the use of this medicine or drug does not exceed three days. Unless the medical team prescribes a longer treatment.

It should be noted that the shorter the duration of treatment, the less risk of developing side effects there will be. However, we must take into account what they are:

What are the secondary effects?

This medicine does not usually cause alterations or adverse effects. However, if an overdose is being experienced or the recommendations of specialists have not been followed, it is possible that patients feel new disorders.

For example, among the most common side effects we can highlight:

• Fever.
• Sickness.
• Vomiting
• Bloating or swelling of the abdomen.
• Decreased blood pressure.

• Dizziness (which can lead to fainting)
• Tachycardia or increased heart rate.
• Excessive sweating at various times throughout the day.
• Abnormal bowel movements and presence of blood in the stool.
• Difficulty breathing and problems associated with the respiratory system.
• Discomfort or severe pain that is localized in the abdominal region and can be worse in severity.
• Redness, itching and the presence of rashes on the skin of the facial area.
• Sensation of dryness in the oral cavity that may appear spontaneously.
• Fluid retention due to difficulty or inability to urinate normally.

What are its contraindications?

In some cases, the medical team may not recommend the use of this drug due to the possible side effects it may cause. Thus, the use of buscopan is not recommended if the patient has developed:

• Stomach or intestinal disorders.
• Difficulties to urinate normally due to some pathology related to the genitourinary tract.
• Heart problems and, above all, tachycardias.
• Fructose intolerance (due to the fact that the medicine contains it in its composition).
• Increased pressure in the eye that leads to glaucoma (especially narrow-angle glaucoma). Also, this medicine is not recommended if the patient has certain types of visual problems.
• Pregnancy. The person is planning to be or is during the lactation phase.
• On the other hand, its use is not recommended if the patient is under ten years of age or is elderly.

To consider

It is essential to carry out a thorough medical check-up in patients with heart disease. In general, it is usually monitored to analyze drug levels in the blood since it tends to aggravate structural problems (such as cardiac overactivation or tachyarrhythmia).

In tachycardia there is an increase in heart rate. This means a shorter time of diastole (filling of the heart chambers) and risk of heart failure.