Struggle to hold on? Treatment that can banish embarrassing 'leaks' gets the green light, giving hope to one in ten who suffer the problem
It's an embarrassing medical problem blighting the lives of one in 10 of us that can cause people to shy away from social occasions out of fear of an accidental 'leak'.
But millions of Brits suffering from overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) could benefit from a new daily pill which has been greenlit by UK health officials.
OAB is where people frequently suffer a sudden and uncontrollable urge to urinate that can lead them to soil themselves and can come to dominate their lives.
It can be triggered by a variety of health conditions from diabetes, physical pressure on the bladder from other organs or masses, such as an enlarged prostate, neurological disease or infection.
But now the estimated 8million Brits living with OAB could be given a new lease on life after officials approved the drug vibegron.
Millions of Brits suffering from overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) could benefit from a new daily pill which has been greenlit by UK health officials
Officials from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave the drug vibegron, sold under the brand Obgemsa in the EU and Gemtesa in the US, approval for use in British patients with overactive bladder syndrome
This daily pill, which costs about £13 a pop in places like the US, relaxes the muscles of the bladder reducing the risk of it leaking or urgently sending people to the toilet.
Officials from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave the drug vibegron, sold under the brand Obgemsa in the EU and Gemtesa in the US, approval for use in British OAB patients.
They based this approval on evidence from a clinical trial that saw 1,500 patients with OAB taking the drug for 12 weeks.
A third of the group got the drug, with the remaining two thirds split between getting a placebo or nothing.
Results showed those that got vibegron suffered less daily urination and incontinence.
Vibegron doesn't work as cure instead alleviating the symptoms, meaning patients will need to take it continuously to enjoy its effects.
However, the MHRA decision doesn't mean patients will be able to get via their GP straight away.
A separate Government funded body, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), decide if medicines are cost effective enough to provide via the health service.
NICE are still weighing up the merits of vibegron meaning that at best patients will only be able to access it privately in the UK following the MHRA's approval.
While no UK-pricing has been announced, a month's supply in the US costs about £408 ($530).
This would put the price of year's supply of the drug at about £4,900.
The MHRA said the most common side effects of vibegron include diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, urinary tract infection as well as an increase in urine left in bladder after voluntary urination.
Officials added that, as standard with any medication they give approval too, they would continue to keep its safety and effectiveness under constant review.
OAB is common condition due to the number of other diseases and health problems that can trigger it.
Women and older people are considered to generally more at risk of OAB, in part, due to increased likelihood of suffering from the problems that can trigger it.
Sufferers can also develop OAB as part of a 'learned' habit from when they had a condition that triggered it, meaning they can still have symptoms years later.
Drinking fluids that can irritate the bladder, such as coffee, tea, colas and alcohol, as well as smoking, can exacerbate OAB symptoms.
People with OAB can become socially isolated and withdrawn due to their fear of 'leaks' becoming nervous about leaving their home where they have easy access to a toilet.
Even those who overcome this can also suffer from problems like disturbed sleep due to repeatedly getting up in the night to urinate.
Patients with OAB are diagnosed by tracking how frequently they urinate and then a series of tests to determine the potential underlying cause.
Current NHS treatment options include bladder 'training' to stretch the bladder, helping it hold more urine, medications to relax the muscles of the organ similar to vibegron.
OAB is where people frequently suffer a sudden and uncontrollable urge to urinate that can lead them to soil themselves and can come to dominate their lives (stock image)
While multiple medications are available, they have differences in terms of side effects which can change per person, which means a patient may need to try several before finding the one that works the best for them.
Some patients don't respond to any medication, or suffer intolerable side effects, they can be offered a Botox (botulinum toxin) injection to paralyze the muscles of the bladder.
Much how Botox is used cosmetically to paralyse face muscles in a bid to stop wrinkles the mechanism relaxes the muscles of the bladder helping it hold more urine.
The NHS says this treatment is effective in 85 per cent of patients that undergo it.
However, experts have previously warned many people with OAB, especially elderly patients, either don't seek help out of embarrassment or mistakenly consider incontinence a natural consequence of aging.
