Darifenacin is a medication

Medication

A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...

 used to treat urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is any involuntary leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition but is under-reported to medical practitioners...

. It used to be marketed by Novartis

Novartis

Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...

; however in 2010 US rights for were sold to Warner Chilcott

Warner Chilcott

Warner Chilcott is a pharmaceutical company based in Rockaway, New Jersey, USA. It has production and research facilities in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Larne, Northern Ireland, Dundalk, Ireland and Weiterstadt, Germany. It is primarily focused on two core therapeutic areas: women’s healthcare and...

 for 400 million US$.

Mechanism of action

Darifenacin works by blocking the M₃ muscarinic acetylcholine receptor

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor

Muscarinic receptors, or mAChRs, are acetylcholine receptors that form G protein-coupled in the plasma membranes of certain neurons and other cells...

, which is primarily responsible for bladder

Urinary bladder

The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...

 muscle contraction

Muscle contraction

Muscle fiber generates tension through the action of actin and myosin cross-bridge cycling. While under tension, the muscle may lengthen, shorten, or remain the same...

s. It thereby decreases the urgency to urinate. It is not known whether this selectivity for the M₃ receptor translates into any clinical advantage when treating symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome.

It should not be used in people with urinary retention

Urinary retention

Urinary retention, also known as ischuria, is a lack of ability to urinate. It is a common complication of benign prostatic hyperplasia , although it can also be caused by nerve dysfunction, constipation, infection, or medications...

. Anticholinergic agents, such as Enablex, may also produce constipation and blurred vision. Heat prostration (due to decreased sweating) can occur when anticholinergics such as Enablex are used in a hot environment.

Clinical uses

Darifenacin is indicated for the treatment of overactive bladder with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency and frequency.

External links

• Enablex product website, run by Warner Chilcott