Medication

Enablex

Generic name: darifenacin

Pharmacist-reviewed drug information from the RxWiki encyclopedia.

Overview

Enablex is a prescription medication used to treat symptoms of an overactive bladder in adults. Enablex belongs to a group of drugs called antimuscarinic medications, which help the bladder muscles to relax.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once daily. It can be taken with or without food.

Common side effects include dry mouth, nausea, and constipation. Enablex can cause blurred vision or dizziness. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how Enablex will affect you.

What is it used for?

Enablex is a prescription medicine used in adults to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder:

  • having a strong need to go to the bathroom right away (also called “urgency”)
  • leaking or wetting accidents (also called “urinary incontinence”)
  • having to go to the bathroom too often (also called “urinary frequency”)

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How to take it

Take Enablex exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Follow the directions on your prescription bottle carefully. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you.

The recommended starting dose of Enablex is one 7.5 mg extended-release tablet once a day. The dose may be increased to 15 mg once a day, usually at least 2 weeks after starting Enablex.

If you have liver problems or are taking certain medicines in addition to Enablex, your doctor may keep you on the 7.5 mg dose.

Warnings

You should not take Enablex if:

  • you are unable to empty your bladder (urinary retention). 
  • you have delayed or slow emptying of your stomach (gastric retention)
  • you have an eye problem called "uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma"
  • you are allergic to any ingredients in Enablex 

Enablex may cause blurred vision or dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Enablex affects you.

Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can happen when Enablex is used in hot environments. Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include:

  • decreased sweating
  • dizziness
  • tiredness
  • nausea
  • increased body temperature

Side effects

The most common side effects with Enablex are:

  • dry mouth
  • constipation

Enablex may cause other less common side effects that include:

  • Swelling (angioedema) of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat may occur. Stop taking Enablex and seek medical attention immediately if you experience swelling of the tongue or throat, or if you experience difficulty breathing. 
  • blurred vision. Use caution while driving or doing dangerous activities until you know how Enablex affects you.
  • heat exhaustion, or heat prostration. Heat prostration (due to decreased sweating) can occur when drugs such as Enablex are used in a hot environment.

These are not all the side effects with Enablex. For more information, ask your doctor, healthcare professional or pharmacist.

Drug interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Enablex and certain other medicines can interact with each other, causing side effects. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

  • ketoconazole (Nizoral) or itraconazole (Sporanox), antifungal medicines
  • clarithromycin (Biaxin), an antibiotic medicine
  • ritonavir or nelfinavir (Viracept), antiviral medicines
  • nefazodone (Serzone), a depression medicine
  • flecainide (Tambocor), an abnormal heartbeat (antiarrhythmic) medicine
  • thioridazine (Mellaril), a mental disorder (antipsychotic) medicine
  • a tricyclic antidepressant 

Know all the medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you to show your doctor and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine.

Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if Enablex is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

Quick facts

Darifenacin may cause blurred vision or dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how darifenacin affects you.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with darifenacin and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.

Darifenacin can cause dry mouth and constipation.

All information on this site is provided “as-is” for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. You should consult with a medical professional if you have any questions about your health.