Atropine for ABD Pain?

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We had a pt the other day with abd pain. The pt was given Bentyl with no relief. The new Dr. in our department spoke of injecting Atropine in a 1000 mL bag of ns and letting it run wide open. It wasn't my pt and I didn't give the treatment, so I don't know how well it worked. I've never seen Atropine given in this fashion for abd pain. Is this common where you work?

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Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.
We had a pt the other day with abd pain. The pt was given Bentyl with no relief. The new Dr. in our department spoke of injecting Atropine in a 1000 mL bag of ns and letting it run wide open. It wasn't my pt and I didn't give the treatment, so I don't know how well it worked. I've never seen Atropine given in this fashion for abd pain. Is this common where you work?

It was likely done to decrease intestinal motility, which probably was a contributory factor to the patient's abdominal pain. Bentyl (Dicyclomine, also dicycloverine), is generally used to treat irritable bowel or spastic colon; it is an anti-anticholinergic like atropine, but is not as powerful. Since the patient did not get relief from Bentyl, the MD probably decided to go up a step.

And no, it isn't common where we work. In the ED, we usually don't care what's causing their pain when it comes to analgesic choice; if it can't be taken care of with Tylenol, Motrin, or Toradol, it's usually morphine or some other opiate. The fine tuned diagnosis driven specifics are usually done once a patient is admitted upstairs.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Donnatol, another anti-spasmodic which I actually take has atropine in it. It makes my mouth drier than the frickin sahara desert! But it works. So does that sound crazy to give atropine for ABD pain, not necessarily. Altho i have never seen it used or given it as treatment for it

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Specializes in Trauma, Tele, Neuro, Med-Surg.
It makes my mouth drier than the frickin sahara desert!

I've given it to decrease secretions, mainly in hospice patients, and often for the comfort of the patient's family more so than the patient.

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Specializes in Med/Surg ICU.

atropine is an anticholinergic. And why not try to give them something instead of the good ole standbys...maybe then they dont need to be admitted.

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Specializes in ER.

you mentioned the doctor was new... must be a new therapy for abd pain?? Haven't heard of it - IV form... hmmmm....would be interested to hear how that turned out.

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Specializes in Emergency & Flight.

Our doctors have used 0.4 mg of Atropine IV or IM, along with Demerol/Phenergan for pts with gastroenteritis. It really works well for these patients. Although by the time they leave the ER, their mouth is so dry they can spit a sweater...but at least they aren't hugging the toilet anymore.

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