Active Ingredients

Indications

Solifenacin Succinate is used to treat overactive bladder in adults. Symptoms include a sudden, strong need to pass urine (urgency), passing urine often (frequency) and leaking urine before reaching the toilet (urge incontinence).

How It Works

Solifenacin is an antimuscarinic medicine. It blocks signals that make the bladder muscle squeeze too often, so the bladder can relax, hold more urine and empty less urgently.

Dosage and Administration

Adults: usually 5 mg once a day. If needed, the doctor may increase it to 10 mg once a day. Swallow the tablet whole with water, with or without food. People with severe kidney problems, moderate liver problems or who take certain interacting medicines (see below) should not take more than 5 mg a day. Not for children. Full benefit may take a few weeks.

Interactions

• Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, Clarithromycin and Ritonavir raise solifenacin levels; the dose should not exceed 5 mg a day.
• Rifampicin, Carbamazepine and Phenytoin may lower its effect.
• Other medicines with anticholinergic effects (some antihistamines, antidepressants and antipsychotics) increase dry mouth, constipation and confusion.
• It can weaken the effect of Metoclopramide and Domperidone.

Contraindications

• Inability to empty the bladder (urinary retention).
• Severe stomach or bowel conditions, including blockage or toxic megacolon.
• Myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disease).
• Narrow-angle glaucoma that is not controlled.
• Severe liver disease, or severe kidney disease while taking strong interacting medicines.
• People on dialysis, and allergy to solifenacin.

Side Effects

Common: dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, indigestion, nausea and dry eyes. Less common: urinary tract infection, drowsiness, dry throat and difficulty passing urine.

Get urgent medical help if you cannot pass urine, have severe stomach pain or no bowel movement for 3 days or more, have swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, a fast or irregular heartbeat, eye pain with blurred vision, or confusion.

Pregnancy and Lactation

Not enough is known about safety in pregnancy; use only if the doctor decides it is clearly needed. Not recommended while breastfeeding.

Precautions and Warnings

• Tell your doctor if you have an enlarged prostate or difficulty passing urine, stomach or bowel problems, reflux, kidney or liver disease, glaucoma, or heart rhythm problems (QT prolongation).
• You may sweat less, so avoid overheating in hot weather.
• It can cause blurred vision or drowsiness; do not drive if affected.
• The doctor may check for other causes of frequent urination, such as infection or diabetes.

Overdose

Too much can cause severe dry mouth, dilated pupils, fast heartbeat, confusion, hallucinations, agitation and inability to pass urine. Seek medical help straight away.

Therapeutic Class

Urinary antispasmodic (antimuscarinic).

Storage

Store below 30°C in a dry place, away from light. Keep out of reach of children.