What Are Overactive Bladder (OAB) Medications With The Least Side Effects?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Many doctors find that mirabegron, a beta-3 agonist, is a good option for overactive bladder because it tends to have fewer side effects than older medications.

Explanation

Overactive bladder (OAB) is treated with different medicines. Older drugs, often called anticholinergics, work by calming the bladder but can sometimes cause unwanted side effects like dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision. In recent years, many doctors prefer using mirabegron. Mirabegron is a beta-3 agonist that relaxes the bladder in a different way. Because it does not block the same nerves as anticholinergics, patients often have fewer side effects. Studies and guidelines suggest that mirabegron is one of the medications for OAB with a better tolerability profile. Of course, each person may respond differently, so what works best can vary. It is important to talk with your doctor about your symptoms and any concerns about side effects. Your doctor can help tailor a treatment plan that suits you while balancing benefits with the possibility of side effects.

(References)

Corcos J, Przydacz M, Campeau L, Gray G, Hickling D, Honeine C, Radomski SB, Stothers L, Wagg A, Lond F. CUA guideline on adult overactive bladder. Can Urol Assoc J. 2017 May;11(5):E142-E173. doi: 10.5489/cuaj.4586. Epub 2017 May 9. Erratum in: Can Urol Assoc J. 2017 May;11(5):E250. doi: 10.5489/cuaj.4722. Erratum in: Can Urol Assoc J. 2017 Jul;11(7):E323. doi: 10.5489/cuaj.4775. PMID: 28503229; PMCID: PMC5426936.
Milsom I, Wagg A, Oelke M, Chapple C. Which drugs are best for overactive bladder? From patients' expectations to physicians' decisions. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Apr;75(4):e13870. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.13870. Epub 2020 Dec 11. PMID: 33251651; PMCID: PMC8047881.
Sze C, Drangsholt S, Stoddard MD, Singh Z, Sansone S, Bhojani N, Zorn K, Elterman D, Chughtai B. Adverse Events for Overactive Bladder Medications From a Public Federal Database. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2022 Jul 1;28(7):429-435. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001190. Epub 2022 May 17. PMID: 35536677.

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