Oxytrol Uses

Symptoms of an overactive bladder can be reduced with the use of Oxytrol. Uses of the medicine include the treatment of sudden or frequent urges to urinate, leaking accidents, and frequent urination. There are no universally accepted off-label Oxytrol uses at this time, and the drug is not approved for use in children.

 

Oxytrol Uses: An Overview

Oxytrol® (oxybutynin patch) is a prescription bladder medication approved for treating symptoms of an overactive bladder. It belongs to a group of medications known as anticholinergics or antimuscarinics. Oxytrol is the first and only overactive bladder medication available in patch form.
 
An overactive bladder is caused by contractions of the bladder muscle that are too frequent and usually uncontrollable. Normally, the bladder fills slowly until nerve signals tell your brain that the bladder is full and you need to use the bathroom. Then the bladder muscles contract when you urinate. However, in some people, the bladder muscles contract frequently and spastically. This causes the following overactive bladder symptoms:
 
  • Sudden, frequent urges to urinate (known as urinary urgency)
  • A frequent need to urinate (usually defined as needing to go more than eight times in 24 hours)
  • Leaking accidents (known as urinary incontinence or urge incontinence).
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Sometimes, an overactive bladder is caused by other medical problems, such as an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH). In these cases, it is best to treat the underlying problem instead of using Oxytrol. The medication is not approved for other types of bladder problems. In fact, Oxytrol may actually make some other types of bladder problems worse.
 

How Does Oxytrol Work?

Oxytrol belongs to a group of drugs known as anticholinergic or antimuscarinic medications. It works by binding to specific receptors (called muscarinic receptors) in the bladder, relaxing the muscles of the bladder. Since an overactive bladder is often caused by bladder muscles that contract too frequently and uncontrollably, Oxytrol can help relieve many of the symptoms of an overactive bladder.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;