Anticholinergic Use and Misuse in Psychiatry: A Comprehensive and Critical Review

Abstract

Anticholinergic medications such as Trihexyphenidyl; Biperidine are widely prescribed to prevent or to treat extrapyramidal side effects produced by neuroleptic drugs. Concomitant use of anticholinergic drugs is more common with the first generation antipsychotic medications. There is a considerable body of data suggesting that anticholinergic drugs have a potential of abuse. In this article, we review the psychiatric use, mechanism of action and the abuse of each anticholinergic drug.