About Medications for an Overactive Bladder

An overactive bladder can cause all sorts of inconvenience and embarrassment for people suffering from this condition. Fortunately, many effective medications are available which can be taken on a long-term basis or only in certain circumstances if preferred, and they have few side effects. Behavioral treatment offers potential for controlling overactive bladder as well.

Identification

• Also called urge incontinence, an overactive bladder creates a strong involuntary contraction of the bladder muscle, resulting in an immediate need to urinate. It is a type of urinary incontinence, defined as "unintentional release of urine." The condition affects about 1 in 11 adults, and is more common in older people. Doctors do not consider it a normal part of aging.

Treatment

• Medications for this condition inhibit the overactive muscle. These anticholinergics block nerve signals and reduce the contractions, and they may actually increase bladder capacity. These include drugs such as tolterodine, marketed under the brand names Detrusitol and Detrol LA, oxybutynin chloride sold as Ditropan, trospium under the brand Sanctura, darifenacin as Enablex and solifenacin as Vesicare. The medications usually take effect within 2 weeks.

Tablets and Capsules

• Some of these medications are provided in extended-release form and are taken once a day. The immediate-release form is beneficial for people who tend to experience overactive bladder at specific times, such as during sleep, or who only need it for situations such as traveling.

Skin Patch

• People also can choose oxybutynin chloride in a skin patch form to deliver the medication continuously through the skin into the blood. This is marketed as the oxybutynin transdermal system, called Oxytrol. The patch is thin, clear and flexible, and is adhered to the abdomen or hip. The patch works for up to 4 days and thus must be changed about twice a week.

Side Effects

• These drugs all work in the same way and have about the same effectiveness at treating overactive bladder. The most typical side effect is dry mouth. Other side effects are not common, but include constipation, headache, blurred vision, dry eyes, high blood pressure and drowsiness. Pregnant women should consult a doctor before taking these medications, as should people with glaucoma, or kidney, liver or stomach disorders.

Other Treatments

• People with overactive bladder might want to try behavioral treatments before prescription medications. One involves keeping a diary of all episodes of urination and any incontinence to identify patterns. This chart will indicate which times of day a person should urinate to prevent accidents. Another treatment involves biofeedback and pelvic exercises which help the person resist contractions and urinate according to a specific timetable.