Mirabegron, sold under the brand name Myrbetriq among others, is a

medication Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to medical diagnosis, diagnose, cure, treat, or preventive medicine, prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmaco ...

used to treat

overactive bladder Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition where there is a frequent feeling of needing to urinate to a degree that it negatively affects a person's life. The frequent need to urinate may occur during the day, at night, or both. Loss of bl ...

. Its benefits are similar to antimuscarinic medication such as solifenacin or tolterodine. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include

high blood pressure Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major ri ...

, headaches, and urinary tract infections. Other significant side effects include

urinary retention Urinary retention is an inability to completely empty the bladder. Onset can be sudden or gradual. When of sudden onset, symptoms include an inability to urinate and lower abdominal pain. When of gradual onset, symptoms may include urinary incont ...

, irregular heart rate, and angioedema. It works by activating the β₃ adrenergic receptor in the bladder, resulting in its relaxation. Mirabegron is the first clinically available beta-3 agonist with approval for use in adults with

. Mirabegron was approved for medical use in the United States and in the European Union in 2012. Text was copied from this source which is copyright European Medicines Agency. Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged. In 2022, it was the 222nd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1million prescriptions. It is available as a

generic medication A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...

. In the United Kingdom it is less preferred to antimuscarinic medication such as oxybutynin.

Medical uses

Mirabegron is used is in the treatment of

. It works equally well to antimuscarinic medication such as solifenacin or tolterodine. In the United Kingdom it is less preferred to these agents. Mirabegron is also indicated to treat neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO), a bladder dysfunction related to neurological impairment, in children ages three years and older.

Adverse effects

Adverse effects by incidence: Very common (>10% incidence) adverse effects include: * Elevated blood pressure Common (1–10% incidence) adverse effects include: * Dry mouth * Nasopharyngitis * Urinary tract infection (UTI) * Headache * Influenza * Constipation * Dizziness * Joint pain * Cystitis * Back pain *

Upper respiratory tract infection An upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is an illness caused by an acute infection, which involves the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx or trachea. This commonly includes nasal obstruction, sore throat ...

(URTI) *

Sinusitis Sinusitis, also known as rhinosinusitis, is an inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinuses resulting in symptoms that may include production of thick nasal mucus, nasal congestion, facial congestion, facial pain, facial pressure ...

* Diarrhea * High heart rate * Fatigue * Abdominal pain *

Neoplasm A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

s (cancers) Rare (<1% incidence) adverse effects include: * Palpitations * Blurred vision * Glaucoma * Indigestion * Gastritis *

Abdominal distension Abdominal distension occurs when substances, such as air (gas) or fluid, accumulate in the abdomen causing its expansion. It is typically a symptom of an underlying disease or dysfunction in the body, rather than an illness in its own right. Peo ...

* Rhinitis * Elevations in liver enzymes ( GGTP, AST, ALT and LDH) * Renal and urinary disorders (e.g., nephrolithiasis, bladder pain) * Reproductive system disorders (e.g., vulvovaginal pruritus, vaginal infection) * Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders (e.g., urticaria, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, rash, pruritus, purpura, lip edema) * Stevens–Johnson syndrome associated with increased serum ALT, AST and bilirubin *

Urinary retention Urinary retention is an inability to completely empty the bladder. Onset can be sudden or gradual. When of sudden onset, symptoms include an inability to urinate and lower abdominal pain. When of gradual onset, symptoms may include urinary incont ...

Research

As a selective beta-3 adrenergic agonist, mirabegron does not cause the cardiovascular adverse effects of other adrenergic agonists that are active at the beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptors. Beta-3 adrenergic agonists activate brown adipose tissue (BAT) and increase energy expenditure, leading to research interest in their development as weight loss drugs. A combination of mirabegron and metformin was studied in mice and caused greater weight loss than either drug alone. A human study in obese individuals found an increase in insulin sensitivity but no significant weight change, which was hypothesized to be due to low levels of BAT in obese humans and/or the low dose of mirabegron used in the study.

Medical uses

Adverse effects

Research

References

Further reading