hyoscine hydrobromide at a glance
Medicine class
Antimuscarinic, also called an anticholinergic.
Main tablet use
Prevention of travel sickness.
Taking tablets
Selected tablets may be sucked, chewed or swallowed, with or without food.
Driving
Do not drive, cycle or operate machinery if you feel sleepy or dizzy, have blurred vision or cannot concentrate.
What is hyoscine hydrobromide used for?
Licensed uses differ by formulation:
Tablets: prevention of travel sickness.
Injection: nausea, vomiting, vertigo, labyrinthine disorders and motion sickness.
Injection: prevention of excessive bronchial and salivary secretions during general anaesthesia.
Injectable hyoscine hydrobromide may also be used outside its licensed indications in hospital or palliative care to reduce troublesome saliva or secretions.
How does hyoscine hydrobromide work?
It blocks muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain and elsewhere. This dampens signals from the balance system to the vomiting centre and reduces secretions such as saliva.
hyoscine hydrobromide preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 150 micrograms, 300 micrograms
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 400 micrograms/mL, 600 micrograms/mL
How to take hyoscine hydrobromide
Follow the instructions for the exact product because formulations are not interchangeable.
Selected tablets may be sucked, chewed or swallowed with water.
Tablets can be taken with or without food.
Avoid alcohol because it may increase drowsiness.
The injection is administered by a healthcare professional.
hyoscine hydrobromide side effects
Common or expected effects
- Dry mouth
- Sleepiness or dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Fast heartbeat
- Difficulty passing urine
Get urgent medical advice
- Painful red eye with reduced vision
- Complete inability to pass urine
- Confusion, delirium or hallucinations
- High temperature, particularly with hot, dry skin or reduced sweating
- Seizure, markedly reduced consciousness or breathing difficulty
- Severe allergic reaction, including swelling, breathing difficulty or collapse
hyoscine hydrobromide in pregnancy
Evidence in pregnancy is limited, so hyoscine hydrobromide is generally not recommended. A prescriber may consider it for severe symptoms when suitable alternatives are unavailable. Available evidence does not usually require additional fetal monitoring solely because of exposure.
hyoscine hydrobromide while breastfeeding
Occasional short-term use for travel sickness is considered compatible with breastfeeding by NHS patient guidance. For more regular use, seek professional advice and watch the baby for unusual sleepiness, constipation, reduced urine or poor feeding. The selected injection product does not recommend use during breastfeeding, so it requires individual clinical assessment.
hyoscine hydrobromide interactions
Check other medicines with a pharmacist or prescriber, particularly those with antimuscarinic or sedating effects.
Other antimuscarinics, including ipratropium, tiotropium and amantadine
May increase dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, blurred vision and confusion.
Sedating antihistamines, antidepressants and antipsychotics
May intensify antimuscarinic effects, sleepiness or confusion.
Common questions about hyoscine hydrobromide
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is hyoscine hydrobromide the same as Buscopan?
No. Buscopan contains hyoscine butylbromide; their uses and formulations differ.
Can the tablets be swallowed whole?
Yes. Selected tablets may be swallowed, sucked or chewed.
Can it make you sleepy?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.