Darifenacin

Darifenacin is a prescription medication used to treat symptoms of an overactive bladder in adults. Darifenacin belongs to a group of drugs called antimuscarinic medications, which help the bladder muscles to relax.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once a day with water, and with or without food.

Common side effects of darifenacin include dry mouth, nausea, and constipation. Darifenacin can cause blurred vision or dizziness.  Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how darifenacin will affect you.

Darifenacin is a prescription medicine used in adults to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder:

• having a strong need to go to the bathroom right away (also called “urgency”)
• leaking or wetting accidents (also called “urinary incontinence”)
• having to go to the bathroom too often (also called “urinary frequency”)

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Darifenacin may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Enablex

The most common side effects with darifenacin are:

• dry mouth
• constipation

Darifenacin may cause other less common side effects that include:

• Swelling (angioedema) of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat may occur. Stop taking darifenacin and seek medical attention immediately if you experience swelling of the tongue or throat, or if you experience difficulty breathing. 
• blurred vision. Use caution while driving or doing dangerous activities until you know how darifenacin affects you.
• heat exhaustion, or heat prostration. Heat prostration (due to decreased sweating) can occur when drugs such as darifenacin are used in a hot environment.

These are not all the side effects with darifenacin. For more information, ask your doctor, healthcare professional or pharmacist.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Darifenacin and certain other medicines can interact with each other, causing side effects. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• ketoconazole (Nizoral) or itraconazole (Sporanox), antifungal medicines
• clarithromycin (Biaxin), an antibiotic medicine
• ritonavir or nelfinavir (Viracept), antiviral medicines
• nefazodone (Serzone), a depression medicine
• flecainide (Tambocor), an abnormal heartbeat (antiarrhythmic) medicine
• thioridazine (Mellaril), a mental disorder (antipsychotic) medicine
• a tricyclic antidepressant 

Know all the medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you to show your doctor and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine.

You should not take darifenacin if:

• you are unable to empty your bladder (urinary retention). 
• you have delayed or slow emptying of your stomach (gastric retention)
• you have an eye problem called "uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma"
• you are allergic to any ingredients in darifenacin

Darifenacin may cause blurred vision or dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how darifenacin affects you.

Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can happen when darifenacin is used in hot environments. Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include:

• decreased sweating
• dizziness
• tiredness
• nausea
• increased body temperature

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with darifenacin and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.
 

Before starting darifenacin, tell your doctor or healthcare professional about all of your medical conditions including if you:

• have any stomach or intestinal problems, or problems with constipation
• have trouble emptying your bladder or if you have a weak urine stream
• have an eye problem called narrow-angle glaucoma
• have liver problems
• are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. It is not known if darifenacin can harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding. It is not known if darifenacin passes into breast milk and if it can harm your baby.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Darifenacin and certain other medicines can interact with each other, causing side effects. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• ketoconazole (Nizoral) or itraconazole (Sporanox), antifungal medicines
• clarithromycin (Biaxin), an antibiotic medicine
• ritonivir or nelfinavir (Viracept), antiviral medicines
• nefazadone (Serzone), a depression medicine
• flecainide (Tambocor), an abnormal heartbeat (antiarrhythmia) medicine
• thioridazine (Mellaril), a mental disorder (antipsychotic) medicine
• a medicine called a tricyclic antidepressant 

Know all the medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you to show your doctor and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if darifenacin is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

Take darifenacin exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you.

• You should take darifenacin once daily with water.
• Darifenacin should be swallowed whole and not chewed, divided or crushed.
• Darifenacin may be taken with or without food.
• If you miss a dose of darifenacin, begin taking darifenacin again the next day. Do not take two doses of darifenacin in the same day.
• If you take too much darifenacin, call your local Poison Control Center or emergency room right away.

Take darifenacin exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Follow the directions on your prescription bottle carefully. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you.

The recommended starting dose of darifenacin  is one 7.5 mg extended-release tablet once a day. The dose may be increased to 15 mg once a day, usually at least 2 weeks after starting darifenacin.

If you have liver problems or are taking certain medicines in addition to darifenacin, your doctor may keep you on the 7.5 mg dose.

If you take too much darifenacin call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Keep darifenacin and all medicines out of the reach of children.
• Store darifenacin at room temperature, 59 to 86ºF (15 to 30ºC). Protect from light.
• Safely dispose of darifenacin that is out of date or no longer needed.