Ditropan XL (oxybutinin) was approved today by the U.S. FDA, according to a press release from the manufacturer, ALZA Corporation . This is an important development in the field of urinary incontinence, since Ditropan XL is the first and (so-far) only once-a-day oral medication for the treatment of 'overactive bladder.' The product should be widely available in pharmacies by late January, 1999.

An estimated 17 million Americans suffer from overactive bladder - a common, treatable and chronic condition characterized by symptoms of urge urinary incontinence (sudden and involuntary loss of bladder control resulting in wetting accidents), urgency (the urgent need to empty the bladder) and frequency (frequent urination). The condition is most prevalent among women and older adults.

Press Release Package Insert Incontinence Resources on the World Wide Web