Unlike acetylcholine, bethanechol is not hydrolyzed by cholinesterase and will therefore have a long duration of action.

Bethanechol is sold under the brand names Duvoid (Roberts), Myotonachol (Glenwood), Urecholine (Merck Frosst), and Urocarb (Hamilton).

Bethanechol alleviates dry mouth[2] and is sometimes given orally or subcutaneously to treat urinary retention[3] resulting from general anesthetic, diabetic neuropathy of the bladder, or a side effect of antidepressants; or to treat gastrointestinal lack of muscular tone.

[4] Atropine is given preoperatively to prevent voiding of the bowel/bladder during surgery; then, bethanechol is given postoperatively to revert this action.

[5] Use of bethanechol, as well as all other muscarinic receptor agonists, is contraindicated in patients with asthma, coronary insufficiency, peptic ulcers, intestinal obstruction and hyperthyroidism.