Patient/caregiver was educated on the side-effects of using Orphenadrine as follows:
Central nervous system side-effects
- Orphenadrine use can result in episodes of confusion, dizziness, and light-headedness. This risk with orphenadrine can be even high when it is taken along with any other products and medications causing central nervous depression, such as, alcohol, opioid pain medications, antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and sedatives. Watching closely for therapeutic response and gradually changing the dose, to help optimum control of your symptoms, can contribute to controlling/reducing the risk for drowsiness and dizziness due to the medication.
- Orphenadrine use, especially in individuals with history of mood disorders, can occasionally result in exacerbation of mania and depressive symptoms, changes in behavior, anxiety, fast and pounding heartbeat, and hallucinations.
- Action of the chemical acetylcholine in the brain can contribute towards preventing dementia. Reduced activity of acetylcholine secondary to orphenadrine use can increase risk for dementia.
Cardiovascular side-effects
- Orphenadrine use can result in exacerbation of anxiety symptoms with fast and pounding heartbeat. Individuals with history of cardiac arrhythmias can be at increased risk for precipitation of arrhythmic episodes with orphenadrine use.
- Individuals taking orphenadrine must be increasingly watchful to report worsening symptoms of arrhythmias, such as, chest pain, low blood pressure, confusion, dizziness, increasing shortness of breath, and worsening fatigue.
- Hypotension and confusion, secondary to orphenadrine intake, can contribute to significantly increased risk for fall and accidents.
