Yentreve (duloxetine)
How does it work?
Yentreve capsules contain the active ingredient duloxetine hydrochloride, which is a type of medicine called a combined serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor. It is used to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. SUI is the accidental leakage of urine when pressure in the bladder is increased suddenly, for example by coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting or exercise.
The urethral sphincter is the muscle at the exit to the bladder that holds back urine. We normally relax it voluntarily when we want to urinate. However, there are various factors, for example pregnancy, childbirth and obesity, that can weaken the tone of the urethral sphincter, allowing it to leak out urine involuntarily when the pressure in the bladder increases.
Duloxetine is thought to work by increasing the tone of the urethral sphincter. It does this by its action on serotonin and noradrenaline in the spinal cord.
Serotonin and noradrenaline are compounds called neurotransmitters. They are stored in nerve cells and are involved in transmitting messages between the nerve cells. Neurotransmitters are released from nerve cells as a message is transmitted. Once the message has been transmitted, the nerve cells then reabsorb the neurotransmitter.
Duloxetine prevents serotonin and noradrenaline from being reabsorbed back into nerve cells in the spinal cord. This enhances the nerve messages that are sent to the urethral sphincter. These messages increase the tone of the urethral sphincter during the time that urine is being stored in the bladder. This makes it less likely to open slightly under stress such as coughing and allow urine to leak out. The sphincter can still be relaxed voluntarily when you want to pass urine.
Duloxetine is used to treat moderate to severe stress incontinence, and has been shown to reduce the frequency of episodes of leakage. It may be more effective if combined with a pelvic floor muscle re-training programme, and you should discuss this with your doctor. Duloxetine has not been shown to benefit mild SUI (less than 14 episodes of leakage per week).
What is it used for?
Warning!
Use with caution in
Not to be used in
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
See also warnings above. The side effects listed may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How can this medicine affect other medicines?
It is important to tell your doctor what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.
The following medicines may increase the blood level of duloxetine and so should not be taken in combination with this medicine:
Yentreve must not be taken at the same time as, or within 14 days of taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressant, for example phenelzine, tranylcypromine or isocarboxacid. In addition, this type of antidepressant should not be started until at least five days after stopping Yentreve.
This medicine should not be used at the same time as a medicine called Cymbalta, which also contains duloxetine, but is used for depression.
Side effects may be more common if this medicine is used in combination with the antidepressant moclobemide, or the herbal remedy for depression St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). These medicines are not recommended for use in combination with Yentreve.
There may be an increased risk of a rare side effect called the serotonin syndrome if Yentreve is taken with any of the following medicines, which also enhance the activity of serotonin in the central nervous system. These medicines are not recommended for use in combination with Yentreve:
The use of Yentreve in combination with antidepressant medicines, particularly any of those those mentioned above, is not recommended. If your doctor wants you to start taking an antidepressant, it is recommended that Yentreve is stopped gradually first.
There may be an increased risk of drowsiness or sedation if this medicine is taken with any of the following medicines (which can also cause drowsiness):
There may be an increased risk of bleeding if duloxetine is taken by people who are taking any of the following medicines, which are known to affect the ability of the blood to clot:
There may be an increased risk of side effects on the liver if this medicine is taken in combination with medicines that can affect the liver.
Duloxetine may increase the blood levels of the following medicines:
Other medicines containing the same active ingredient
In the UK there are currently no other medicines for treating SUI that contain duloxetine as the active ingredient.
Cymbalta contains duloxetine, but is used to treat depression, not SUI.
The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. The materials in this web site cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. Conditions for use
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