Investigation of the effect of medications used in patients diagnosed with urinary incontinence receiving anticholinergic drug therapy on sexual function

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of medications used in women diagnosed with urinary incontinence receiving anticholinergic drug therapy on sexual function and whether this effect differs according to menopausal status. The study evaluated a total of four drug groups using mirabegron, tolterodine, duloxetine, and propiverine hydrochloride, along with a control group receiving no pharmacological treatment. Data were collected from a maximum of 25 patients in each group, and the sample was formed according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Sexual function was analyzed in terms of subdimensions such as level, frequency, communication, satisfaction, avoidance, touch, vaginismus, and orgasm disorder. The findings showed that menopausal status could significantly alter the effect of drugs on sexual function. The higher total sexual function scores in the premenopausal group among patients using Mirabegron particularly indicate the interaction of hormone levels with treatment side effects. No significant difference was found based on menopausal status in the groups using tolterodine and propiverine hydrochloride; however, in the duloxetine group, postmenopausal patients had higher mean scores in some subdimensions. In the control group, premenopausal women had higher sexual function levels than the postmenopausal group. Overall, the study indicates that the effects of anticholinergic drugs on sexual function cannot be evaluated independentlyof menopause and should be considered in pharmacological treatment planning.