Drug therapy for excessive sweating can be successful in some patients however the side effects from the medication often result in the medication being stopped.

The side effects from drug therapy include dry mouth, constipation, impaired taste, blurred vision, urinary retention, and heart palpitations.  These may be managed by adjusting the individual’s dose.

The most commonly used medications for managing excessive sweating are anticholingerics. These include medicines such as propantheline,  and glycopyrrolate, oxybutynin, and benztropine. Because the drugs used to control excessive sweating have not been studied in controlled trials, their use is based on anecdotal evidence.  Therefore they may have to be prescribed off licence. 

Patients with glaucoma (especially narrow-angle glaucoma) and those who have impaired gastric emptying or a history or symptoms of urinary retention should not use anticholingeric therapy.