Drug Induced Bladder Problems

Sometimes drugs have unintended side effects that can cause or worsen bladder problems. The following table show the most common classes of drugs with examples and a brief explanation of what they do.

*Drugs That Can Cause Bladder Problems*
Class of Medication	Specific Examples	Possible Effects
ACE Inhibitors	Enalapril maleate (Vasotec) Ramipril (Altace) Benazepril Hydrochloride (Lotensin) Lisinopril (Zestril) Fosinopril (Monopril) Captopril (Capoten)	Persistent cough leading to an increase in abdominal pressure, which may result in a loss of bladder contol.
Alcohol	Beer, Liquor and Wine	Increases urine production, which causes increased frequency of urination and urge to urinate.
Alpha-agonists	Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride (Sudafed), which include any cough or cold medicine that contains this ingredient.	Urinary retention
Alpha-antagonists	Prazosin (Minipress) Terazosin (Hytrin) Doxazosin maleate (Cardura)	Can relax urethral muscles, which results in urine leakage.
Anti-cholinergics	Propantheline bromide (Probanthine)	May relax the bladder causing urinary retention.
1st generation anti-histamines	Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride (Benadryl), Chlorpheniramine Maleate (Chlor-Tripolon)	May relax the bladder causing urinary retention.
Anti-psychotics	Loxapine (Loxapac) Haloperidol (Haldol)	Can relax urethral muscles, which results in urine leakage. Can decrease your perception of the need to urinate.
Beta-agonists	Isoproterenol Hydrochloride (Isuprel)	Can cause urinary retention.
Caffeine	Coffee, Cola, Tea, and Chocolate	Can cause an increas in urine production along with an increase in frequency both of unination and the urge to urinate.
Calcium Channel Blockers	Nifedipine (Adalat) Amlodipine (Norvasc) Verapamil (Verelan)	Urinary retention.
Diuretics	Hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDiuril) Furosemide (Lasix) Amiloride Hydrochloride (Midamor) Triamterene (Dyrenium)	Increases urine production, which causes increased frequency of urination and urge to urinate.
Muscle Relaxants	Baclofen (Lioresal) Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride (Flexeril) Orphenadrine Citrate (Norflex)	May relax the bladder causing urinary retention. May also relax the urethral muscles resulting in leakage. May reduce your perception of the need to urinate.
Narcotic Analgesics	Any products containing Codeine such as Tylenol #1 and #3, etc.	Urinary retention.
Sedatives and Anti-stress Agents	Diazepam (Valium) Alprazolam (Xanax)	Urinary retention and sedation: decreases your perception of the need to urinate.
Sympatholytics	Alpha-methyldopa (Aldomet)	Relaxes urethral muscles, which results in leakage.
Tri-cyclic Anti-depressants	Amitriptyline (Elavil) Desipramine (Norpramin) Nortriptyline (Aventyl)	May relax the bladder causing urinary retention and sedation that results in decreased perception of the need to urinate.

Whether you call it urinary incontinence or a bladder problem it can be embarrassing. Howeveer, remember that this is a medical problem and it's not your fault. Millions of people have the same problem so talk to your family doctor or nurse. Nearly everyone with bladder problems can be helped.

This consumer advocate website is protected by copyright © 2011 by Askdocweb, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This is a layman's report about drugs that may cause bladder problems and is not intended to replace discussions with a health care provider. Do not use the information on this forum as a substitute for your doctor's advice. Always consult your doctor before taking any drug and follow your doctor's directions. Source material: Food and Drug Administration, Medline, Physician's Desk Reference, and the largest community of people in the world, those who are concerned about side effects and healthcare.