Cogentin vs. Akineton

Cogentin (benztropine mesylate) and Akineton (biperiden hydrochloride) are anti-Parkinson's agents and anticholinergic agents prescribed to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease and related drug-induced side effects.

Side effects of Cogentin and Akineton that are similar include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vision changes, or dry mouth.

Side effects of Cogentin that are different from Akineton include headache, loss of appetite, stomach upset, sleeplessness, trembling of the hands, numbness in your fingers, depression, memory problems, nervousness, excitability, or increased sensitivity to light.

Side effects of Akineton that are different from Cogentin include dry nose/throat, euphoria or disorientation, constipation, vomiting, agitation, disturbed behavior, decreased sweating, urinary retention/difficult or painful urination, involuntary movements, slow heart rate, and a reduction in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Both Cogentin and Akineton may interact with alcohol, narcotics, antidepressants, or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders.

Cogentin may also interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicines, sedatives, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicines for seizures, depression, or anxiety), amantadine, glycopyrrolate, mepenzolate, diuretics (water pills), potassium supplements, atropine, belladonna, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bladder or urinary medications, bronchodilators, irritable bowel medications, or medicines to treat Alzheimer's dementia.

Akineton may also interact with antiarrhythmics or antihistamines.

Side effects of Cogentin include:

• drowsiness,
• dizziness,
• headache,
• loss of appetite,
• nausea,
• stomach upset,
• vision changes,
• sleeplessness,
• trembling of the hands,
• numbness in your fingers,
• depression,
• memory problems,
• nervousness,
• excitability,
• dry mouth,
• double vision, or
• increased sensitivity to light.

Common side effects of Akineton include:

• dry mouth/nose/throat,
• blurred vision,
• drowsiness,
• euphoria or disorientation,
• urinary retention,
• dizziness when standing up,
• constipation,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• agitation,
• disturbed behavior,
• decreased sweating,
• difficult or painful urination,
• involuntary movements,
• slow heart rate, and
• a reduction in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Cogentin (benztropine mesylate) is an anti-Parkinson's agent and anticholinergic agent prescribed for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and related drug-induced side effects.

Akineton (biperiden hydrochloride) Tablet is an anticholinergic antiparkinson agent used to treat the stiffness, tremors, spasms, and poor muscle control of Parkinson's disease. Akineton is also used to treat and prevent these same muscular conditions when they are caused by drugs such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, perphenazine, and others.

Cogentin may interact with alcohol, other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety), amantadine, glycopyrrolate, mepenzolate, diuretics (water pills), potassium supplements, antidepressants, atropine, belladonna, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bladder or urinary medications, bronchodilators, irritable bowel medications, medicines to treat Alzheimer's dementia, or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Cogentin; it is unknown if it will harm a fetus. It is unknown if Cogentin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Akineton may interact with narcotic pain relievers, phenothiazines and other antipsychotic medications, tricyclic antidepressants, antiarrhythmics, or antihistamines. Tell your doctor all medications you are taking. Akineton should be given during pregnancy only if prescribed. It is not known whether this drug is passed in breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Cogentin usual adult dose ranges from 0.5 - 6 mg/day in 1-2 divided doses.

The usual starting dose of Akineton to treat Parkinson's disease is one tablet taken orally three or four times daily. The dosage is individualized and may be increased to a maximum of 8 tablets (16 mg) per 24 hours. To treat drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms, the dose is one tablet one to three times daily.