Venlafaxine and bladder function

Background: Occasional case reports describe urinary incontinence in patients taking the selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant venlafaxine. Objective: In this study the authors investigated the possible effect of venlafaxine on urinary function in a series of 9 patients with urinary retention resulting from spinal cord lesions. They primarily sought to understand whether the reported venlafaxine-induced urinary incontinence was a specific drug-induced effect and, if so, whether venlataxine might be an effective treatment of urinary retention. Methods: During a 1-week baseline period, patients measured postvoiding residual volume through a catheter and recorded the number of micturitions within 24 hours. At the end of the baseline period, venlafaxine 75 mg extended-re lease on a once-daily evening administration schedule was added to their therapy for 1 week. Results: None of the patients reported severe/uncontrollable side effects while taking venlafaxine. Extended-release verdafaxine (75 mg/day) significantly reduced the postvoiding residual volume and increased the micturition rate; the volume diminished on the first day of treatment and remained stable over the ensuing days. Conclusion: These findings suggest that venlafaxine could be useful to improve voiding in patients with spinal cord disease.