Objectives: To evaluate the tolerability, safety and efficacy of antimuscarinic drugs used to treat overactive bladder and to identify any differences between individual antimuscarinics.
Methods: Medline, Embase, CCTR and Cinahl databases were searched for published RCTs including an antimuscarinic agent from 1966 to August 2004. Data from included trials were extracted and meta-analysed where possible.
Results: Fifty-six trials were included. The antimuscarinics were found to be safe and efficacious. All antimuscarinics apart from oxybutynin IR were found to be well tolerated. Dry mouth was the most commonly reported adverse event and no drug was associated with an increase in any serious adverse event. There were significant differences between the antimuscarinics in rates of withdrawal and rates and range of adverse events and efficacy outcomes.
Conclusions: The antimuscarinics have different tolerability and safety profiles, which are clinically significant.