N
Glam Journal

What is atropine sulfate The antidote for

Author

Andrew Henderson

Updated on April 17, 2026

Atropine Sulfate Injection is an antimuscarinic agent used to treat bradycardia (low heart rate), reduce salivation and bronchial secretions before surgery, as an antidote for overdose of cholinergic drugs or mushroom poisoning.

What is atropine the antidote for?

Atropine is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of low heart rate (bradycardia), reduce salivation and bronchial secretions before surgery or as an antidote for overdose of cholinergic drugs or mushroom poisoning. Atropine may be used alone or with other medications.

What is atropine used for?

Atropine is used to help reduce saliva, mucus, or other secretions in your airway during a surgery. Atropine is sometimes used as an antidote to treat certain types of poisoning. Atropine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is atropine sulphate used for?

Atropine Sulfate Injection is used: as a preoperative medication for the reduction of salivary and bronchial secretions. during cardiopulmonary resuscitation to treat sinus bradycardia or asystole.

What are atropine drops?

Atropine sulfate eye drops is used to dilate the pupil before eye exams. It is also used to treat an eye condition called amblyopia (lazy eyes) and other eye conditions (eg, cycloplegia).

What is atropine toxicity?

In overdose, atropine can cause tachycardia, agitation, delirium, dilated pupils, dry mucous membranes, dry skin, and hypoactive bowel sounds. These phenomena have been described even with attempted therapeutic ophthalmic use.

Why is atropine injection used?

Atropine Injection is given before anaesthesia to decrease mucus secretions, such as saliva. During anaesthesia and surgery, atropine is used to help keep the heart beat normal. Atropine sulfate monohydrate is also used to block or reverse the adverse effects caused by some medicines and certain type of pesticides.

Is atropine sulfate a controlled drug?

Controlled Substance: Diphenoxylate HCl and atropine sulfate tablets are classified as a Schedule V controlled substance by federal regulation.

What is atropine solution?

Atropine Solution is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of low heart rate (bradycardia), reduce salivation and bronchial secretions before surgery or as an antidote for overdose of cholinergic drugs or mushroom poisoning. Atropine Solution may be used alone or with other medications.

What does atropine do to the heart?

Atropine increases the heart rate and improves the atrioventricular conduction by blocking the parasympathetic influences on the heart.

Article first time published on

What are the advantages of giving atropine sulfate before surgery?

Atropine Injection is given before anaesthesia to decrease mucus secretions, such as saliva. During anaesthesia and surgery, atropine is used to help keep the heart beat normal. Atropine sulfate monohydrate is also used to block or reverse the adverse effects caused by some medicines and certain type of pesticides.

Which drug is used in atropine poisoning?

The antidote to atropine is physostigmine or pilocarpine. A common mnemonic used to describe the physiologic manifestations of atropine overdose is: “hot as a hare, blind as a bat, dry as a bone, red as a beet, and mad as a hatter”.

Is atropine sulfate used for glaucoma?

You should not use the ointment form of this medicine if you have glaucoma. To make sure atropine ophthalmic is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have: high blood pressure; glaucoma.

When do you give atropine?

Atropine is the first-line therapy (Class IIa) for symptomatic bradycardia in the absence of reversible causes. Treatments for bradydysrhythmias are indicated when there is a structural disease of the infra-nodal system or if the heart rate is less than 50 beats/min with unstable vital signs.

Who should not use atropine?

overactive thyroid gland. myasthenia gravis, a skeletal muscle disorder. closed angle glaucoma. high blood pressure.

Can a nurse give atropine?

An certified critical care nurse may administer a dose of Atropine 0.5 mg IV or Intraosseus (IO) direct by Medical Directive. The nurse may repeat with a second dose of 1 mg.

Which medication is given as an antidote for an overdose of atropine?

Signs and symptoms of an atropine overdose include heart palpitations, restlessness, hallucinations, delirium, and coma. This can lead to death if not treated. Physostigmine is an atropine antidote and is given via IV to quickly treat the delirium and coma caused by an atropine overdose.

What is in atropine sulphate?

Active SubstanceAtropine (sulfate)Drug FormEye dropsAdministration RouteOcular use

How is atropine given?

Atropine is administered by intravenous injection or intramuscular injection. Other pharmaceutical forms/strengths may be more appropriate in the cases where a dose above 0.5 mg is required. All these contra-indications are however not relevant in life-threatening emergencies (such as bradyarrhythmia, poisoning).

Why is atropine controlled?

Why is Lomotil (diphenoxylate / atropine) a controlled substance? Lomotil (diphenoxylate / atropine) is a controlled medication, because it contains diphenoxylate, which is an opioid medication. At smaller doses, it’s used to treat diarrhea and does not cause pain-relieving effects like morphine at recommended doses.

Why does atropine decrease heart rate?

Atropine has complex effects on heart rate: At low doses, atropine blocks M1 acetylcholine receptors in the parasympathetic ganglion controlling the SA node. This decreases heart rate (Bernheim 2004).

Can atropine be given in anaphylaxis?

Although atropine is used widely as a perioperative anticholinergic agent, it is a potential risk factor for a severe anaphylactic reaction. Therefore, prompt recognition and adequate therapeutic measures are necessary to avoid fatal consequences. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction.

Does atropine decrease blood pressure?

Atropine in clinical doses counteracts the peripheral dilatation and abrupt decrease in blood pressure produced by choline esters. However, when given by itself, atropine does not exert a striking or uniform effect on blood vessels or blood pressure.

Why is atropine given at the end of surgery?

What is atropine? Atropine is used to help reduce saliva, mucus, or other secretions in your airway during a surgery. Atropine is also used to treat spasms in the stomach, intestines, bladder, or other organs.

What kind of receptor blocker is the atropine?

Atropine, which is on the WHO List of Essential Medicines, is a non-selective muscarinic receptor inhibitor used to treat acute sinus node dysfunction associated with bradycardia, complete atrioventricular block, and organophosphate and beta-blocker poisoning.

Does atropine increase eye pressure?

Atropine or other anticholinergic agents may cause elevation of IOP and are contraindicated for glaucoma patients. Systemic atropine may increase IOP by more than 6 mm Hg in 8% of normal adults.

What kind of drug is adenosine?

Adenosine is a prescription drug used for conversion to sinus rhythm of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PVST), including that associated with accessory bypass tracts (Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome).

How is asystole treated?

Asystole is treated by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combined with an intravenous vasopressor such as epinephrine (a.k.a. adrenaline). Sometimes an underlying reversible cause can be detected and treated (the so-called “Hs and Ts”, an example of which is hypokalaemia).

What does epinephrine do to the heart?

Hence, epinephrine causes constriction in many networks of minute blood vessels but dilates the blood vessels in the skeletal muscles and the liver. In the heart, it increases the rate and force of contraction, thus increasing the output of blood and raising blood pressure.

What drug is given after epinephrine?

Vasopressin should be effective in patients who remain in cardiac arrest after treatment with epinephrine, but there is inadequate data to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vasopressin in these patients (Class Indeterminate).