From the Guidelines
Vesicare is a prescription medication containing the active ingredient solifenacin succinate, used primarily to treat overactive bladder symptoms, with a typical starting dose of 5 mg taken once daily, which may be increased to 10 mg if needed, as recommended by the American College of Physicians 1.
Mechanism of Action and Side Effects
Vesicare works by relaxing the bladder muscles to prevent urgent, frequent, or uncontrolled urination, and belongs to a class of medications called anticholinergics or muscarinic antagonists, which block certain nerve signals to the bladder muscle, reducing bladder contractions and increasing bladder capacity 1. Common side effects include dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision, with a relative risk of 1.5 (1.4 to 1.6) for dry mouth, blurred vision, and constipation compared to placebo 1.
Dosage and Administration
Patients should swallow the tablet whole with water, with or without food, and take Vesicare at the same time each day for best results, expecting that it may take 2-4 weeks to experience the full benefits of the medication.
Contraindications and Precautions
It's not recommended for people with certain conditions like urinary retention, uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma, or severe liver disease, and patients should be aware of the potential for adverse effects, including dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision, with a number needed to harm (NNH) of 9 (6 to 17) for solifenacin compared to placebo 1.
Comparison with Other Medications
Solifenacin has been compared to other medications, including tolterodine and trospium, with similar efficacy and safety profiles, but with a lower risk of discontinuation due to adverse effects compared to oxybutynin and fesoterodine 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Solifenacin succinate tablets are a prescription medicine for adults used to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder : Urge urinary incontinence: a strong need to urinate with leaking or wetting accidents Urgency: a strong need to urinate right away Frequency: urinating often Solifenacin succinate tablets 5 mg and 10 mg are not approved for use in children Vesicare is another name for solifenacin succinate, which is a muscarinic antagonist used to treat overactive bladder symptoms, including:
From the Research
Definition and Mechanism of Vesicare
- Vesicare is a medication used to treat overactive bladder syndrome, and its active ingredient is solifenacin 3, 4.
- Solifenacin is a bladder-selective, muscarinic (M(1) and M(3)) receptor antagonist that works by decreasing bladder activity by inhibiting contraction of the smooth muscle wall surrounding the bladder 4.
- It acts specifically at the M3 receptor site, which is involved in the stimulation of acetylcholine muscarinic M3 receptors within the detrusor muscle wall, leading to micturition 4.
Efficacy and Safety of Vesicare
- Solifenacin has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of overactive bladder, including urinary urgency, frequency, incontinence, and nocturia 3, 5, 6, 7.
- It has been compared to other medications, such as tolterodine, and has been found to be equally effective in treating overactive bladder symptoms 6, 7.
- The most common adverse events associated with solifenacin are dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision 3, 7.
- Solifenacin has been found to have a favorable risk/benefit ratio and is generally well tolerated 4, 7.
Comparison with Other Medications
- Solifenacin has been compared to tolterodine in several studies, and the results have shown that they are equally effective in treating overactive bladder symptoms 6, 7.
- Solifenacin has also been compared to other medications, such as oxybutynin and darifenacin, and has been found to be at least as effective as these medications 5.
- The choice of medication for overactive bladder syndrome may depend on individual factors, such as cost and tolerability 5.