Urinary Incontinence Drug Summary

Last updated: 11 December 2025

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Drugs For Bladder & Prostate Disorders

Drug Dosage Remarks
Imidafenacin 0.1 mg PO 12 hourly
Adverse Reactions
  • CV effects (QT prolongation, ventricular tachycardia); GI effects (thirst, dry mouth, constipation, paralytic ileus, hepatic dysfunction); Other effects (acute glaucoma, urinary retention, hallucination/delirium)
Special Instructions
  • Must be taken after breakfast and evening meal
  • Contraindicated in patients with urinary retention, occluded pyloric region, paralytic ileus, decreased GI motility, angle closure glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, severe heart disease
  • Use with caution in patients with arrhythmia, hepatic and renal impairment, dementia, cognitive dysfunction, Parkinson symptoms, cerebrovascular symptoms, cerebrovascular disorder, ulcerative colitis, hyperthyroidism

Neuromuscular Disorder Drug

Drug Dosage Remarks
Distigmine Initial dose: 5 mg PO 24 hourly
After 1 week, 5-10 mg PO every 2-3 days depending on the reaction
Adverse Reactions
  • GI effects (nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, enterospasms); Ophthalmologic effect (miosis); CV effect (bradycardia); Respiratory effect (bronchospasm); Other effects (increased salivation and lacrimation, sweating, muscle spasms and tremor, muscle weakness, difficulty in swallowing)
Special Instructions
  • Take the whole dose on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before breakfast
  • Contraindicated in patients with severe vagotonia or dominance of the parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system

Oestrogens, Progesterones & Related Synthetic Drugs

Drug Dosage Remarks
Estriol 0.5 mg (1 application) vaginally at night for first few weeks
Gradually reduce dosage based on symptom relief
Maintenance dose: 
0.5 mg vaginally 2x/week
Adverse Reactions
  • Irritation or itching at application site, breast discomfort or pain
Special Instructions
  • Use with caution in patients with leiomyoma, endometrial hyperplasia, first-degree hereditary for breast cancer, HTN, DM, severe liver disorders, severe headache, SLE, epilepsy, asthma, otosclerosis, thromboembolic disorders
  • Avoid in patients with known or suspected breast cancer, estrogen-dependent tumors, undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, untreated endometrial hyperplasia, thrombosis, thromboembolism, acute liver disease, porphyria
  • Discontinue use if jaundice or liver function deterioration, significant increase in BP or new onset of migraine-type headache occurs

Peripherally-Acting Muscle Relaxant

Drug Dosage Remarks
Botulinum toxin A 200 u IM into detrusor muscle via a flexible or rigid cystoscope
Adverse Reactions
  • Injection site reactions (pain, tenderness and/or bruising); Dermatologic effects (rarely skin rash, pruritus); Other effects (fever, flu, facial paresis, neck pain)
Special Instructions
  • Contraindicated in patients with myasthenia gravis, Eaton-Lambert syndrome, acute UTI and urinary retention who are not routinely doing clean intermittent self-catheterization
  • Use with caution in patients at risk of angle-closure glaucoma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pregnant, children <12 years old and elderly

Quinolone

Drug Dosage Remarks
Pipemidic acid Co-adjuvant therapy in UI: 400 mg PO 12 hourly Adverse Reactions
  • GI effects (nausea, abdominal pain); CNS effects (muscular weakness, myalgia, intracranial hypertension); Other effects (exanthematous or urticarial skin rashes)
Special Instructions
  • Use with caution in patients with impaired renal or hepatic function, CNS damage, convulsion; strong sunlight exposure
  • Avoid in lactating patients

Serotonin & Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor

Drug Dosage Remarks
Duloxetine 40 mg PO 12 hourly 
Reassess after 2-4 weeks
If intolerable side effects occur:
Decrease dose to 20 mg PO 12 hourly
Adverse Reactions
  • CNS effects (insomnia, fatigue, headache, dizziness, tremor); GI effects (dry mouth, constipation, nausea, anorexia, decreased appetite); Ophthalmologic effect (blurred vision); Other effects (increased sweating, hyponatremia has been reported rarely; suicidal ideation can occur)
Special Instructions
  • Avoid in women with hepatic dysfunction
  • Use with caution in patients a history of mania, bipolar disorder and/or seizures, in combination with antidepressants, in patients with increased intraocular pressure or those at risk for acute narrow-angle glaucoma
  • Taper slowly at discontinuation of therapy

Urinary Antispasmodics

Drug Dosage Remarks
Mirabegron 50 mg PO 24 hourly
Adverse Reactions
  • Tachycardia, UTI
  • Uncommon: CV effects (palpitations, atrial fibrillation); GI effects (dyspepsia, gastritis, increased liver enzymes); Other effects (rash, pruritus, joint swelling)
Special Instructions
  • Use with caution in patients with severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease, severe or moderate hepatic impairment, severe uncontrolled hypertension, history of QT prolongation or taking drugs known to prolong QT interval
Vibegron  75 mg PO 24 hourly 

Adverse Reactions

  • GI effects (constipation, nausea, xerostomia, diarrhea); Respiratory effects (nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection [URTI]); Other effects (hot flash, increased PVRV, urinary retention)

Special Instructions

  • Contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment and end-stage renal disease
  • Use with caution in patients with bladder outlet obstruction and use of concomitant muscarinic drugs
Antimuscarinic Agents 
Flavoxate  200 mg PO 6-8 hourly 

Adverse Reactions

  • CNS effects (nervousness, vertigo, fatigue, headache, confusion); CV effects (tachycardia, palpitation); GI effects (dry mouth and throat, abdominal pain, constipation); Ophthalmologic effects (blurred vision, increased intraocular pressure); Other effects (dysuria, hypersensitivity reactions, hyperpyrexia, eosinophilia, leukopenia)

Special Instructions

  • Contraindicated in patients with pyloric or duodenal obstruction, intestinal lesions or ileus, achalasia, GI hemorrhage, obstructive uropathies of the lower urinary tract, myasthenia gravis, severe ulcerative colitis, toxic megacolon, glaucoma
  • Use with caution in the elderly and in patients with coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, autonomic neuropathy, hepatic and renal impairment
Darifenacin  Initial dose: 7.5 mg PO 24 hourly
After 2 weeks, may increase dose to 15 mg PO 24 hourly if no adequate response 

Adverse Reactions

  • GI effects (dry mouth, constipation, abdominal pain, diarrhea); Ophthalmologic effects (blurred vision, dry eyes); CNS effects (drowsiness, headache); CV effects (palpitations, arrhythmias, tachycardia); GU effects (urinary retention, dysuria); Other effects (angioedema, skin reactions)

Special Instructions

  • Avoid in patients with urinary or gastric retention, uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma and in patients at risk for these conditions
  • Use with caution in patients with GI obstructive disorders, severe constipation, ulcerative colitis, myasthenia gravis, controlled narrow-angle glaucoma; in patients with significant bladder outflow obstruction

Darifenacin

  • Avoid in patients with severe hepatic impairment; use with caution if moderate impairment

Fesoterodine

  • Use with caution in patients with renal and hepatic impairment, concomitant use of CYP3A4 inhibitors

Propiverine

  • Monitor hepatic enzymes during long-term therapy

Solifenacin

  • Avoid in patients with severe renal dysfunction or in those with moderate-severe liver disease

Trospium

  • Use with caution in patients with moderate-severe hepatic impairment
  • Use with caution in patients with renal impairment
Fesoterodine fumarate  4-8 mg PO 24 hourly 
Oxybutynin  Regular release: 
5 mg PO 8-12 hourly 
Elderly: Up to 5 mg PO 8 hourly 
Extended release:
5-10 mg PO 24 hourly
May be adjusted by 5 mg/day at intervals of ≥1 week
Max dose: 30 mg/day 
Transdermal patch 73.5 mg:
Apply 1 patch 24 hourly to lower abdomen, back or thigh 
Propiverine  15 mg PO 8-12 hourly 
Solifenacin  5-10 mg PO 24 hourly 
Tolterodine  Regular release: 
2 mg PO 12 hourly
May decrease to 1 mg PO 12 hourly depending on response and tolerability 
Extended release:
4 mg PO 24 hourly
May decrease to 2 mg PO 24 hourly depending on response and tolerability 
Trospium  Regular release: 
20 mg PO 24 hourly or
15 mg PO 8 hourly 
Extended release: 60 mg PO 24 hourly in the morning 

Vasoconstrictor

Drug Dosage Remarks
Midodrine hydrochloride 2.5-5 mg PO 8-12 hourly
Adverse Reactions
  • CV effects (bradycardia, supine and sitting hypertension); Other effects (paresthesia and pruritus mainly of the scalp, chills, urinary urgency, retention and frequency)
Special Instructions
  • Monitor BP, slowing of heart rate may occur
  • Use with caution in patients with urinary retention, orthostatic hypotension, diabetes, renal and hepatic impairment; concomitant use with other vasoconstrictor drugs
  • Avoid in patients with increased BP, severe organic heart disease, pheochromocytoma, thyrotoxicosis

Disclaimer

All dosage recommendations are for non-pregnant and non-breastfeeding women, and non-elderly adults with normal renal and hepatic function unless otherwise stated. 
Not all products are available or approved for above use in all countries.  
Products listed in the Drug Summary are based on indications stated in the locally approved product monographs.   
Please refer to local product monographs in Related MIMS Drugs for country-specific prescribing information.  

Related MIMS Drugs