An Overview of Oxybutynin Patch Uses
The
oxybutynin patch (
Oxytrol®) 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. The
oxybutynin patch 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).
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 the oxybutynin patch. The medication is not approved for other types of
bladder problems. In fact, the oxybutynin patch may actually make some other types of bladder problems worse.
How Does the Oxybutynin Patch Work?
The oxybutynin patch 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, the oxybutynin patch can help relieve many of the symptoms of an overactive bladder.
