Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is a cluster of urinary symptoms that includes frequent urination, sudden strong urges to pee, waking at night to urinate, and occasional leakage.
Key points
- Nocturia in overactive bladder is defined as the need to get up to pee at least two times each night, and a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying is also common.
- The condition is common, most prevalent in people 65 and older, though it is not a normal part of aging and women may develop it around age 45.
- It stems from detrusor muscle overactivity in the bladder wall, which can be triggered by nerve damage, infection, or hormonal changes.
- Treatment rarely cures overactive bladder but can help; options include behavioral changes, medications, and nerve stimulation.
Medicines listed for Overactive Bladder
The four listed products are all tablets. Three contain antimuscarinic agents: Oxybutynin (Ditropan), Solifenacin (Vesicare), and Tolterodine (Detrol). The fourth, Myrbetriq, contains Mirabegron, a beta-3 adrenergic agonist. Antimuscarinics work by relaxing the detrusor muscle to reduce urgency and frequency, while Mirabegron acts on a different receptor pathway to calm bladder contractions.



