Patients with swallowing dysfunction are usually very ill and have a constellation of challenging issues requiring palliation. Accumulation of oropharyngeal secretions leads to a substantial effort of medical teams including doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and ancillary staff. We present 10 patients successfully treated with application of transdermal clonidine film. It was well tolerated, provided quick control of secretions, and reduced staff labor. We suggest that transdermal clonidine can be used as antisialogogue in patients with swallowing dysfunction. Clonidine pharmacology is physiologic grounds for this clinical application.
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