Medications
Medications
Medications
Treatment with medications is aimed at reducing the frequency and severity of involuntary contractions of the detrusor muscle. There are drugs available in Canada to treat Overactive Bladder. They help reduce symptoms by controlling bladder muscle contractions, which helps to reduce the frequency and urge associated with Overactive Bladder.
Talk to your doctor to find out what the best treatment options are for you.
PrBotox® (onabotulinumtoxinA for injection)
What it treats
BOTOX is for the treatment of overactive bladder with symptoms of leakage of urine (urinary incontinence), urgency, and frequency, in adult patients who have an inadequate response to or are intolerant of an anticholinergic medication. It works by temporarily weakening the overactive bladder muscles.
Dose
The recommended dose is 100 units.
Side Effects
The most common side effects are urinary tract infections and painful urination after the injection. Other common side effects include bacteria in the urine, inability to empty your bladder (urinary retention), incomplete emptying of the bladder, frequent daytime urination and blood in the urine after the injection. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrDetrol® LA (tolterodine L-tartrate extended-release capsules)
What it treats
Detrol LA is a drug for the treatment of symptoms of Overactive Bladder, which may include frequency, urgency and urge urinary incontinence (involuntary loss of urine). Detrol LA stops abnormal bladder contractions and reduces the symptoms associated with those contractions. This results in more bladder capacity and less frequency, urgency and involuntary loss of urine.
Dose
The usual starting dose is one 4 mg capsule once a day.
Side Effects
The most common side effect associated with Detrol LA is dry mouth. Others could include stomach pain, dry irritable eyes, heartburn, blurred vision, dizziness, palpitations (irregular heart beat), fainting or difficulty in urination. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrDetrol® (tolterodine L-tartrate immediate-release tablets)
What it treats
Detrol is a drug for the treatment of symptoms of Overactive Bladder, which may include frequency, urgency and urge urinary incontinence (involuntary loss of urine). Detrol stops abnormal bladder contractions, resulting in more bladder capacity and fewer symptoms.
Dose
The usual starting dose is 2 mg two times per day.
Side Effects
The most common side effect associated with Detrol is dry mouth. Other side effects include dry irritable eyes, heartburn, blurred vision, dizziness, palpitations (irregular heart beat), fainting or difficulty in urination. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrDitropan® (oxybutynin chloride immediate-release tablets)
What it treats
Ditropan is a drug for the relief of symptoms associated with Overactive Bladder including urgency, frequency and urge urinary incontinence. It relaxes the bladder muscle, which results in decreased urgency and frequency of urination.
Dose
The usual dose is one 5 mg tablet two or three times a day.
Side Effects
The most common side effects associated with Ditropan are dry mouth and throat. Other side effects include difficulty swallowing, decreased sweating, urinary hesitance and retention, and blurred vision. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrDitropan® XL (oxybutynin chloride extended-release tablets)
What it treats
Ditropan XL is a drug used for the relief of symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency and frequency in patients with Overactive Bladder. It relaxes the bladder muscle, which results in decreased urgency and frequency of both urinary incontinence episodes and voluntary urination.
Dose
The usual dose is one 5 or 10 mg once daily.
Side Effects
The most common side effect associated with Ditropan XL is dry mouth. Other side effects include constipation, drowsiness, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, diarrhea, and nausea. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrEnablex® (darifenacin hydrobromide extended-release tablets)
What it treats
Enablex is a drug used for the treatment of Overactive Bladder with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, frequency and nocturia. Enablex reduces abnormal bladder contractions, which results in decreased symptoms of urgency and frequency of urination and incontinence.
Dose
The recommended starting dose for most adults is 7.5 mg once daily.
Side Effects
The most common side effect associated with Enablex is dry mouth. Other side effects include constipation, headache, abdominal pain, indigestion, nausea and dry eyes. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrGelnique™ (oxybutynin hydrochloride)
What it treats
Gelnique is a drug indicated for the treatment of overactive bladder with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency.
Dose
Gelnique is a topical gel formulation designed for daily application. The contents of one complete dispensing stroke from the metered-dose dispenser (1 gram) or the contents of one sachet (each gram of gel containing 100 mg oxybutynin chloride) should be applied once daily to dry, intact skin on the abdomen, upper arms/shoulders, or thighs.
Side Effects
The most common treatment-related adverse reactions reported were dry mouth, constipation, headaches, dizziness, skin itching and redness. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrMyrbetriqTM (mirabegron extended-release tablets)
What it treats
Myrbetriq treats the symptoms of an overactive bladder such as suddenly needing to empty your bladder (called urgency), having to empty your bladder more than usual (called urinary frequency) and not being able to control when you empty your bladder (called urgency incontinence). It works by relaxing the bladder smooth muscle, thereby reducing the symptoms of an overactive bladder.
Dose
The starting dose for most adults is 25 mg once daily with or without food.
Side Effects
The most common side effects associated with Myrbetriq are increased blood pressure, cold symptoms (nasopharyngitis), urinary tract infection and headache. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrOxytrol™ (oxybutynin transdermal system)
What it treats
Oxytrol is a drug for the treatment of Overactive Bladder with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency and frequency. Oxytrol increases bladder capacity, which results in decreased symptoms of urgency and frequency of urination and incontinence.
Dose
The starting dose for most adults is one 3.9 mg/day Oxytrol patch applied twice weekly.
Side Effects
The most common side effects associated with Oxytrol are skin reactions, including redness and itchiness, where the patch is applied. Other side effects could include dry mouth, constipation, abnormal vision, and headache. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrToviaz® (fesoterodine fumarate extended-release tablets)
What it treats
Toviaz is used for the treatment of the symptoms of overactive bladder which include frequency, urgency, and urge incontinence or any combinations of these symptoms. Toviaz works to prevent bladder contractions or spasms. This results in more bladder capacity and less frequency, urgency and involuntary loss of urine.
Dose
The usual starting dose is one 4 mg tablet once a day.
Side Effects
A very common side effect is dry mouth. Common side effects are constipation, urinary tract infection, dry eyes, upset stomach, dry throat, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, painful urination, difficulty emptying your bladder, swelling of the extremities, and skin rash. Other side effects that have been reported after the drug was marketed include: blurred vision, dizziness, headache, heart palpitations, angioedema, hypersensitivity reactions, hives, and itching. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrTrosec® (trospium chloride)
What it treats
Trosec is a drug for the treatment of Overactive Bladder with symptoms of urge or mixed urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency. Trosec blocks involuntary contractions of the bladder, allowing the muscle to relax and giving better control of the bladder by reducing symptoms of urgency, frequency and incontinence.
Dose
The recommended dose is 20 mg twice daily on an empty stomach.
Side Effects
The most common side effects associated with Trosec are dry mouth, constipation and abdominal pain. Other side effects include upset stomach, nausea, dizziness, flatulence, chest pain, dry eyes, blurred vision, increased heart rate, palpitation, urinary retention and heat prostration. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrUrispas® (flavoxate HCl)
What it treats
Urispas is used for a variety of urinary and bladder problems. It acts by relaxing the muscles of the urinary tract, which allows it to relieve pain and discomfort accompanying a variety of urological disorders: e.g., frequency, urgency, nocturia and incontinence.
Dose
The usual dosage is one 200 mg tablet 3 or 4 times daily.
Side Effects
The most common side effects are nausea and vomiting. Other side effects include dry mouth, nervousness, vertigo, headache, and drowsiness. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
PrVesicare® (solifenacin succinate)
What it treats
Vesicare is a drug used for the treatment of Overactive Bladder with the symptoms of urgency and frequency of urination and incontinence. Vesicare reduces bladder contractions, which helps reduce the symptoms of urgency, frequency of urination and incontinence.
Dose
The recommended starting dose is 5 mg once daily.
Side Effects
The most common side effects associated with Vesicare are dry mouth and constipation. Other side effects include dry eyes, urinary retention and blurred vision. Any side effects should be reported to your doctor or pharmacist.
In many instances, combining drug treatment with some of the other non-medical management options (pelvic muscle exercises, bladder retraining, dietary modifications) may provide the best improvement of the symptoms of OAB.