FDA approves Botox to treat overactive bladder

FDA approves Botox to treat overactive bladder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved use of Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) to treat adults with overactive bladder who cannot use or do not adequately respond to a class of medications known as anticholinergics.

via Press Announcements > FDA approves Botox to treat overactive bladder.

Men and women both can suffer from overactive bladder.  Patients usually are treated with exercises and medications (anticholinergics) to help reduce the overactivity of the bladder.  Symptoms such as frequency of urination, urgency of urination, and leakage of urine from the overactive bladder usually improve.  These medications can cause constipation, dry mouth, and other side effects.  Patients that can not tolerate medications have another option now.  Urologists can inject botox into the bladder and improve urinary symptoms.

Patients that have had prostatectomies sometimes have urge incontinence after prostatectomy and botox should be considered if other options have not worked or have not been tolerated.