darifenacin ER
Darifenacin hydrobromide is a medication that treats overactive bladder in adults. It belongs to a drug class called anticholinergics. Darifenacin comes as an extended-release tablet that you take by mouth once a day. Common side effects include dry mouth and constipation. The brand name of the medication, Enablex, has been discontinued. So generic darifenacin is the only version available now.
What is Darifenacin?
What is Darifenacin used for?
- Overactive bladder (OAB) in adults
How Darifenacin works
Darifenacin is an antimuscarinic medication. But it's more commonly known as an anticholinergic. Antimuscarinics and anticholinergics work in similar ways.
Darifenacin blocks a chemical in the body called acetylcholine from attaching to muscarinic receptors in the bladder. This causes your bladder muscles to relax. The medication helps you go to the bathroom less often and have better control of urination.
Drug facts
Side effects of Darifenacin
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Dry mouth (up to 35%)
- Constipation (up to 21%)
- Urinary tract infection (5%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Indigestion
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Headache
- Dry skin
- Dry eyes
- Blurry vision
- Flu-like symptoms
- Swelling (edema)
- Weight gain
Darifenacin serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Angioedema (severe swelling): swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; trouble breathing
More on Darifenacin side effects
The following Darifenacin side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Bladder pain
bloody or cloudy urine
difficult, burning, or painful urination
frequent urge to urinate
lower back or side pain
Incidence not known
Decrease in the frequency of urination
decrease in the urine volume
difficulty in passing urine
dribbling or painful urination
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:
Symptoms of overdose
Changes in vision
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Acid or sour stomach
belching
difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
indigestion
stomach discomfort, upset, or pain
Incidence not known
Accidental injury
bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
changes in vision
chills
congestion
cough producing mucus
difficulty with breathing
difficulty with moving
dryness or soreness of the throat
general feeling of discomfort or illness
headache
hoarseness
itching of the vagina or genital area
itching skin
joint pain
loss of appetite
muscle aches and pains
muscle stiffness
nervousness
pain during sexual intercourse
pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones
pounding in the ears
rash
shortness of breath or troubled breathing
slow or fast heartbeat
tender, swollen glands in the neck
thick, white vaginal discharge with no odor or with a mild odor
tightness in the chest
tingling of the hands or feet
trouble with swallowing
unusual weight gain or loss
voice changes
vomiting
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Darifenacin
Pros
- Helps lower the urge to urinate and improves bladder control
- Taken by mouth once per day
Cons
- Commonly causes dry mouth, which can be uncomfortable
- Not the best choice for people with severe liver problems, certain gut problems, or trouble urinating
Pharmacist tips for Darifenacin
- You can take darifenacin with or without food. You can try taking it with food to help lessen side effects from the medication like indigestion, nausea, and stomach pain.
- Swallow the darifenacin tablet whole with water. Don't chew, cut, or crush them. Talk to your prescriber if you're having trouble swallowing the tablets whole.
- Darifenacin can cause sleepiness, dizziness, and blurry vision, although it isn't common. Don't drive or do things that you need your full attention for until you know how this medication makes you feel.
- Darifenacin can make you sweat less. This can put you at risk of getting overheated easily, especially when it's hot. To avoid overheating, try not to be outside during the hottest time of the day and avoid dehydrating beverages like alcohol. Drink plenty of water during the day.
- Don't take darifenacin with other anticholinergic medications. Examples include diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and other overactive bladder medications. Taking more than one anticholinergic at the same time can raise your risk of side effects like dry mouth and dizziness. Give your care team a list of all the medications you take so they can check for harmful drug interactions.
- Tell your healthcare team if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It's not completely known whether darifenacin can harm your unborn baby. Your care team can talk to you about the risks and benefits of taking the medication.
- It's not clear how safe darifenacin is while breastfeeding because it hasn't been studied in humans. But animal studies show darifenacin can get into breastmilk, which might cause side effects to your baby.
Common questions about Darifenacin
Yes, darifenacin is an anticholinergic medication. It blocks acetylcholine, a chemical that makes your bladder muscles tighten. This helps lower the urge to urinate and treat overactive bladder.
Studies show that darifenacin can start to improve overactive bladder symptoms within 2 weeks. If you don't see any improvement after 2 weeks, let your prescriber know. They might raise your dose. Keep in mind that it can take a few months for you to see the best results from the medication. Talk to your prescriber if you have concerns about how long it's taking for symptoms to improve with treatment.
One of the most common side effects of darifenacin is dry mouth. You can help relieve dry mouth by sucking on ice, chewing gum, or rinsing your mouth with cold water. There are also mouthwashes, sprays, and lozenges that can help. Another common side effect is constipation. To help with this, drink plenty of water during the day and eat more fiber-rich foods. If constipation doesn't go away, ask a healthcare professional if taking a laxative might help. Talk to your prescriber if side effects bother you while you're taking darifenacin.
Some people who took darifenacin had weight gain, but it's not common. In studies, up to 2% of people gained weight while taking this medication. To help manage your weight, talk to your healthcare team about a plan that includes a balanced, nutritious diet and regular exercise. Let your prescriber know if you notice unusual weight gain after starting darifenacin.
Studies suggest that anticholinergic medications like darifenacin might raise the risk of dementia. These studies looked at specific groups of people. This included people taking high doses of anticholinergics, adults over 65, or those who already have memory problems. And in one study, older adults who took darifenacin for 6 to 12 months were more likely to develop dementia than those who took other overactive bladder medications. If you're worried about memory loss from darifenacin, talk to your prescriber.
Darifenacin and oxybutynin are both anticholinergic medications that treat overactive bladder. Oxybutynin comes in more forms than darifenacin. Oxybutynin comes as a tablet, patch, and gel. But darifenacin is only available as a tablet. Both medications usually need a prescription. But the oxybutynin patch that's specifically for women is available over the counter. Studies show that dry mouth might be less likely with darifenacin than with oxybutynin. Talk to a healthcare professional if you have questions about which medication is right for you.
Darifenacin and solifenacin (Vesicare) are both anticholinergic medications. They're taken once a day for treating overactive bladder in adults. But solifenacin (Vesicare) can also be used to treat people 2 years and older with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO), a bladder problem caused by a nerve condition. What's more, both medications come in tablet form. But solifenacin (Vesicare) is also available as a liquid suspension. This can be easier to take for children and people who have trouble swallowing pills whole. Ask your prescriber if you have questions about how these medications compare.
No. Darifenacin is only available by a prescription from a healthcare professional.
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Risks and warnings for Darifenacin
Darifenacin can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Swelling of the face and possible breathing problems (angioedema)
Some people who took darifenacin had a rare but serious side effect called angioedema. This causes swelling in different parts of the body, like the face, lips, tongue, or throat. In some cases, this happened after the first dose of darifenacin.
If the tongue or throat swells, it can be life-threatening because it can make it hard to breathe. Go to the emergency room right away if you suddenly can't breathe or notice swelling around your face or throat.
Side effects related to the nervous system
- Risk factors: Taking other medications that cause nervous system side effects
Darifenacin can cause sleepiness, dizziness, headaches, and confusion. Some people might also have hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't real). See how you feel when you first start taking darifenacin and when your dose gets raised.
Tell your care team if you have these side effects. This is especially important if they make it harder for you to go about your daily life. Don't drive or do any activities that you need a lot of focus for until you know how darifenacin affects you.
Be sure your care team knows about all the medications you take or plan to take. Taking darifenacin with other medications that make you tired can make side effects like sleepiness and dizziness worse. This can raise your risk of falling or having other accidents.
Caution in people with blockage in the bladder
Darifenacin can make it harder to urinate. Let your prescriber know if you already have trouble urinating so they can make sure this medication is safe for you. Some conditions that can block urination include benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Caution in people with digestive problems
Darifenacin can slow down the gut and make some digestive problems worse. Let your prescriber know if you have a condition that affects how your gut moves. Examples include severe constipation, ulcerative colitis, and myasthenia gravis. They can check whether darifenacin is safe for you to take. People with blockages in their gut can't take this medication at all.
Caution in people with glaucoma
Before you start taking darifenacin, tell your prescriber if you have glaucoma. This medication can make some types of glaucoma worse. So your prescriber should talk to you about the risks and benefits of taking darifenacin.
Let your ophthalmologist know if you have glaucoma and you're taking darifenacin. They might want to check your eyes more often with regular eye exams.
Darifenacin dosage
Interactions between Darifenacin and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Potassium
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Amifampridine
- Bupropion
- Ceritinib
- Clozapine
- Conivaptan
- Desipramine
- Donepezil
- Duvelisib
- Flecainide
- Fosnetupitant
- Glucagon
- Glycopyrrolate
- Glycopyrronium Tosylate
- Idelalisib
- Imipramine
- Itraconazole
- Ivosidenib
- Larotrectinib
- Lefamulin
- Lorlatinib
- Lumacaftor
- Methacholine
- Netupitant
- Quetiapine
- Revefenacin
- Scopolamine
- Secretin Human
- Thioridazine
- Tiotropium
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
How much does Darifenacin cost?
$22.08
Darifenacin contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Darifenacin will not be safe for you to take.
- Uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma
- Can't urinate or fully empty your bladder (urinary retention)
- Blockage in the stomach or intestines
What are alternatives to Darifenacin?
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