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Does Gemtesa cause high blood pressure?

Medically reviewed by Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD. Last updated on March 28, 2025.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

No, high blood pressure is not a common side effect of Gemtesa (vibegron).

Clinical Data on Blood Pressure

In a phase 3 (EMPOWUR) trial, patients taking 75 mg of Gemtesa daily had a low incidence of high blood pressure (1.7%), similar to those taking a placebo. Additionally, a 4-week study found no significant changes in blood pressure among patients using 75 mg of Gemtesa daily.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

While Gemtesa is unlikely to cause high blood pressure, monitor your readings and consult your doctor if you experience an increase. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can raise the risk of:

  • Heart failure
  • Stroke
  • Kidney damage

About Gemtesa

Gemtesa is a beta-3 adrenergic agonist used to treat overactive bladder. It is taken by mouth once a day. Some potential side effects include:

  • Headache
  • Urinary tract infection (UTI)
  • Diarrhea

For more information, consult your healthcare provider.

References

Gemtesa [package insert]. (Revised Feb 2024). Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc. Accessed 06/15/2024 at https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=25f21d25-14f8-4fda-91f6-7aa8b68aa1c8

Staskin, D., et. al. (2020). International Phase III, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo and Active Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Vibegron in Patients with Symptoms of Overactive Bladder: EMPOWUR. In: The Journal of Urology. Available from: https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000000807

Weber, M. A., et. al. (2022). Effects of vibegron on ambulatory blood pressure in patients with overactive bladder: results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. In: Blood Pressure Monitor. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8893125/

Read next

Can Gemtesa cause dementia?

Cognitive decline, which may include dementia, memory loss and confusion, is not a known side effect for Gemtesa (vibegron) or the beta-3 agonist class as a whole. In addition, a study found the use of anticholinergic medications among patients with overactive bladder (OAB) was associated with an increased risk of new-onset dementia compared to beta-3 agonist users. Continue reading

How long does it take for Gemtesa (vibegron) to work?

Gemtesa (vibegron) starts working almost immediately – within a few days of first taking it, with noticeable improvements in urinary urgency, frequency, and incontinence noted in clinical trials at 2 weeks which were reported as significant by 12 weeks.

After 12 weeks, people taking Gemtesa had 2 fewer daily leakage episodes compared to 1 fewer episode in those taking placebo, 2 fewer bathroom visits (versus 1 fewer with placebo), and 3 fewer “urge to go” visits a day compared to 2 fewer with placebo. Continue reading

How does Gemtesa (vibegron) work?

Gemtesa (vibegron) works by relaxing the detrusor muscle of the bladder – this is smooth muscle found in the wall of the bladder – and it does this by activating beta-3 adrenergic receptors located in the detrusor muscle. By activating these receptors, the muscle in the bladder wall relaxes. This allows the bladder to hold more urine, which can relieve symptoms of overactive bladder such as needing to pass urine immediately or frequently (urinary urgency and frequency) and reduce urine leakage (urinary incontinence). Continue reading

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