Cogentin Side Effects

Constipation, nausea, and blurred vision are some of the possible side effects of Cogentin. Side effects of this medication are often minor and are generally easy to treat. However, Cogentin can also cause serious side effects. Contact your healthcare provider right away if you develop any serious Cogentin side effects, such as fever, hallucinations, or depression.

An Introduction to Cogentin Side Effects

As with any medicine, Cogentin® (benztropine mesylate) may cause side effects. If side effects do occur, they are often minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
 
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Cogentin. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Cogentin side effects with you.)
 

Common Side Effects of Cogentin

For many medications, the prescribing information carefully details the exact percentage of side effects that were seen in clinical trials. However, the prescribing information for almost all older medications (including Cogentin) includes only vague information on possible side effects, without any percentages provided. Therefore, it can be difficult to know how common (or how rare) the side effects of such medications may be. However, based on general experience with the drug, the following are usually considered common Cogentin side effects:
 
  • Constipation
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Dry mouth
  • Blurred vision (often caused by dry eyes)
  • Difficulty passing urine
  • Dilated (wide open) pupils.
     
(Cogentin Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
Other Articles in This eMedTV Presentation