Sialorrhea - therapeutic drug options.
OBJECTIVE
To review the efficacy and safety of various drug treatments for sialorrhea. Pharmacotherapy for drug-induced sialorrhea is not addressed.


METHODS
Clinical studies were identified using PubMed (1966-October 2001). Key search terms included sialorrhea and drug therapy.


RESULTS
Sialorrhea is a social and physical detriment to patients. Drug treatment, although not necessarily the treatment of choice for all patients, can offer some symptom relief.


CONCLUSIONS
Literature has documented that benztropine, glycopyrrolate, and scopolamine can reduce the incidence of sialorrhea. Although the literature evaluating the therapeutic options has limitations (e.g., small sample size, inconsistent outcome measurements), glycopyrrolate may have an advantage over the other agents due to fewer adverse effects.
Tscheng
Dorothy Z
DZ
Drug Information and Research Centre, Ontario Pharmacists' Association, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada. dtscheng@ontpharmaists.on.ca
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001590:Benztropine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006024:Glycopyrrolate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology
D001590:Benztropine; D012601:Scopolamine; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; D006024:Glycopyrrolate