A client receiving oxybutynin develops side effects. What symptom should the nurse expect?

Oxybutynin is an anticholinergic medication commonly prescribed to manage symptoms of overactive bladder, such as urgency, frequency, and urge incontinence. One of the characteristic side effects of anticholinergic drugs, including oxybutynin, is a decrease in salivary secretion, which leads to dry mouth.

When the medication inhibits the action of acetylcholine, it reduces the production of saliva, resulting in this unpleasant side effect that many patients experience. Managing dry mouth can be important for the client’s comfort and overall oral health. Patients may be advised to sip water frequently, chew sugarless gum, or use saliva substitutes to alleviate this symptom.

The other symptoms listed, such as increased urination, nausea, and blurred vision, are not typical side effects of oxybutynin. In fact, increased urination would be the opposite of what the medication aims to achieve, and while nausea can occur with various medications, it is not a direct effect associated with oxybutynin. Blurred vision might occur as a less common side effect, but dry mouth is more prevalent and well-documented with this class of drugs. Thus, dry mouth is the symptom the nurse should primarily expect in a client receiving oxybut