bladder

Elmiron is a drug used to treat interstitial cystitis. Most of you don’t know what interstitial cystitis is, and that’s a good thing. Unless you are a urologist, you wouldn’t have reason to know about the condition . . . unless you suffer from it. But if you suffer from interstitial cystitis, you probably know a lot about it. In this post I am going to describe the condition, then discuss Elmiron, the only FDA-approved drug to treat the condition, and finally highlight the latest studies indicating that Elmiron may cause pigmentary maculopathy, which can cause vision loss or even blindness.

Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is a painful bladder condition. Interstitial means situated within but not restricted to one organ or tissue, especially fibrous tissue. Cystitis means an inflammation of the urinary bladder. Urinary tract infection is one example of cystitis. Interstitial cystitis causes the walls of the bladder to become irritated or inflamed. This leads to bladder pressure, bladder pain, and pelvic pain. Interstitial cystitis is one of several conditions labelled painful bladder syndrome.

Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) is a prescription medication that was approved in 1996 for the treatment of interstitial cystitis. This condition is sometimes referred to as painful bladder syndrome and can consist of a range of symptoms. These can vary from the occasional mild discomfort to constant and significant pain in the bladder or lower abdomen of the body.

Currently, Elmiron is the only FDA-approved oral medication to treat interstitial cystitis. As a result, numerous individuals have taken the medication for an extended period. But over the past few years, several studies have been published that indicate that some people may suffer from vision problems from taking Elmiron. Some of the more notable studies came out in 2018 and 2019.

This blog post will examine the possibility of Elmiron causing vision loss in patients, its current status with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and what its makers, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Janssen) and Johnson & Johnson, potentially face in litigation.

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Articles Tagged with bladder

Interstitial Cystitis, Elmiron, and Pigmentary Maculopathy

Elmiron and Vision Loss: What You Need to Know