New side effect with Aricept?

Pfizer and Eisai's Alzheimer's disease drug Aricept (donepezil) maycause urinary incontinence in a small number of patients, according to a letter in The Lancet (August 12). Japanese neurologists report in the letter that the side effect seems more likely to occur at higher doses (eg 5mg) and is reversible. They recommend that if a case of incontinence is suspected to be linked to the drug, using a lower dose, or concomitant use of a peripherally-acting cholinergic antagonist, might be helpful.