Tolterodine

2 medicines

Tolterodine is an anticholinergic medicine for overactive bladder that must be avoided by people with narrow-angle glaucoma or urinary retention, since it can worsen both.

Detrol

Tolterodine

1/2mg

Detrol is a bladder medication containing Tolterodine, available as 1/2mg tablets.

from $1.50 / tablet View

Detrol La

Tolterodine

4mg

Detrol La is a bladder medication containing Tolterodine, available as 4mg tablets.

from $2.58 / tablet View

Key facts

  • Tolterodine (sold as Detrusitol and Detrol) is an antimuscarinic (anticholinergic) medicine that relaxes the bladder muscle to reduce urgency, frequency, and leaking.
  • It is taken as tablets, usually once or twice daily depending on the formulation, and works throughout the day; benefits may take a few weeks to become fully apparent.
  • Do not take tolterodine if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, urinary retention, or severe gut motility problems such as gastric retention. Its anticholinergic action can worsen all three.
  • Seek urgent care for eye pain with blurred vision and halos, inability to urinate, or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

What tolterodine treats

Tolterodine treats overactive bladder, a condition causing a sudden, hard-to-control urge to urinate, more frequent urination, and urge incontinence (leaking with the urge). It does not treat urinary tract infections or stress incontinence caused by weak pelvic floor muscles.

How tolterodine works

The bladder muscle contracts when a nerve chemical called acetylcholine binds to muscarinic receptors on it. Tolterodine blocks those receptors, so the bladder relaxes and holds more urine before the urge to void appears.

Before you take it

  • Do not use tolterodine if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, urinary retention, or uncontrolled gastric retention. Blocking bladder and gut muscle contraction can seriously worsen these conditions.
  • Tell your prescriber about liver or kidney disease, myasthenia gravis, or a history of prolonged QT interval or heart rhythm problems, since tolterodine can affect heart rhythm in susceptible people.
  • Tell your prescriber about other medicines with anticholinergic effects, and about strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as certain antifungals or HIV medicines, which can raise tolterodine levels.
  • This drug can cause drowsiness and blurred vision; take care with driving until you know how it affects you.

Side effects

Common effects include dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, dizziness, and headache.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

  • Sudden eye pain, blurred vision, or halos around lights, which can signal acute angle-closure glaucoma.
  • Inability to urinate or a swollen, painful bladder.
  • A fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, or fainting.
  • Signs of a severe allergic reaction: facial swelling, rash, or difficulty breathing.

Safety essentials

  • Tolterodine's anticholinergic effect can trigger acute angle-closure glaucoma and worsen urinary retention; anyone with either condition should not take it, and new eye pain or an inability to pass urine needs urgent assessment.
  • Older adults are more sensitive to confusion, dizziness, and falls with anticholinergic medicines; report new confusion promptly.
  • Avoid combining tolterodine with other anticholinergic medicines, such as some cold remedies or certain antidepressants, unless a prescriber has confirmed it is safe, since the effects add up.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.