Clinical picture characterized by increased frequency and sudden need to urinate. It is more frequent in women over 65 years of age, but the older the age the more equal between genders it becomes.
In the vast majority of cases the cause is unknown, although there are factors that promote its appearance such as drinking large amounts of fluids, taking caffeine, alcohol, brain disorders (stroke, dementia) and diabetes.
It manifests itself with an urgent and repeated need to urinate, both during the day and at night. It is considered that the frequency is increased if you urinate more than 8 times a day or more than twice a night. Sometimes the urine escapes when it cannot be passed on time. Daily activities and social life of those afflicted may be limited.
The diagnosis is clinical, through directed questioning and physical examination. Urinary tract infection and more rarely a urinary tumor should be ruled out if other symptoms such as blood in urine or weight loss are added.
The treatment combines non-pharmacological treatment with drug treatment. The non-pharmacological includes changes in habits and lifestyle, pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) and bladder reeducation with exercises to space the number of times you urinate each day and reduce urgency to urinate. The pharmacological treatment includes medication with antimuscarinic and/or beta-adrenergic effect.
Should these symptoms occur, it is advisable to talk to your urologist / gynecologist to reach the diagnosis.
- Lukacz ES, Santiago-Lastra Y, Albo ME, Brubaker L. Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Review. JAMA 2017; 318:1592.
- Burgio KL, Kraus SR, Menefee S, et al. Behavioral therapy to enable women with urge incontinence to discontinue drug treatment: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2008; 149:161.
- Abrams P, Cardozo L, Fall M, et al. The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the Standardisation Sub-committee of the International Continence Society. Neurourol Urodyn 2002; 21:167.
- Miller, Jane; Hoffman, Eileen (de abril de 2006). «The Causes and Consequences of Overactive Bladder». Journal of Women's Health 15(3): 251-260.
- Drake, Natalie L.; Flynn, Michael K.; Romero, Audrey A.; Weidner, Alison C.; Amundsen, Cindy L. (de mayo de 2005). «Nocturnal polyuria in women with overactive bladder symptoms and nocturia». American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 192 (5): 1682-1686.
