When Do You Apply Scopolamine Patch?

The scopolamine transdermal skin patch is applied to a hairless area of skin just behind your ear. In some cases, a healthcare provider will apply the patch just before your surgery. To prevent nausea and vomiting after surgery, the skin patch is usually applied the evening before surgery.

How long does it take for scopolamine patch to wear off?

Animal model suggest that the longer the patch is used, the more severe the rebound effects are. The pharmacological half-life of scopolamine in the body is about 9 hours, but the sensitized effects in the vestibular nuclei center can last for days to weeks.

Why is scopolamine patch placed behind the ear?

Scopolamine Patch

Scopolamine (an anticholinergic), when administered in the form of a transcutaneous drug patch, is widely used for prevention of motion sickness. The 0.5-mg patch is placed behind the ear, where skin permeability is highest, providing therapeutic levels of scopolamine for up to 3 days.