Two medicines, side by side
Tolterodine vs trospium
Tolterodine and trospium are both labeled for overactive bladder. Drugs@FDA records approvals of tolterodine since 1998 and of trospium since 2004. Pharmacies paid $0.268 per tolterodine tart ER 2 mg capsule and $0.211 per trospium chloride 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the tolterodine FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 9, 2026); the trospium FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 30, 2025).
Highlights of the tolterodine record
Tolterodine (Detrol) · label of February 9, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsTolterodine tartrate extended-release capsules are an antimuscarinic indicated for the treatment of overactive bladder with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency. ( 1 ) Tolterodine tartrate extended-release capsules are indicated for the treatment of overactive bladder with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency [ see CLINICAL STUDIES ( 14 ) ].
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- March 25, 1998
- Generic labelers
- 14 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.268 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 4
Highlights of the trospium record
Trospium (Sanctura) · label of December 30, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsTrospium chloride tablets are a muscarinic antagonist indicated for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency. Trospium chloride tablets are a muscarinic antagonist indicated for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- May 28, 2004
- Generic labelers
- 19 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.211 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Tolterodine label of February 9, 2026, Trospium label of December 30, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do tolterodine and trospium differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class cholinergic muscarinic antagonists.
Generics: tolterodine since 2012; trospium since 2010 (Drugs@FDA).
| Tolterodine | Trospium | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Overactive bladder | Overactive bladder |
| Pharmacologic class | Cholinergic Muscarinic Antagonist | Cholinergic Muscarinic Antagonist |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Trospium chloride is a muscarinic antagonist. Trospium chloride antagonizes the effect of acetylcholine on muscarinic receptors in cholinergically innervated organs including the bladder. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Excretion: The plasma half-life for trospium chloride following oral administration is approximately 20 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | March 25, 1998 | May 28, 2004 |
| First generic approved | September 25, 2012 | August 13, 2010 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 14 labelers | 19 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.268 per capsule (Tolterodine tart ER 2 mg capsule) | $0.211 per tablet (Trospium chloride 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -27% | -25% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 4 | 1 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 12,383 | 2,273 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What do the labels say about using others of their kind?
Tolterodine label, drug interactionsConcomitant use with other anticholinergic agents may increase the frequency and/or severity of dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, and other anticholinergic pharmacological effects.
Trospium label, drug interactionsThe concomitant use of trospium chloride with other antimuscarinic agents that produce dry mouth, constipation, and other anticholinergic pharmacological effects may increase the frequency and/or severity of such effects.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to tolterodine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions