Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2001;39:59-64; doi:10.1136/dtb.2001.39859
Copyright © 2001 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

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Managing incontinence due to detrusor instability

Relevant BNF section: 7.4.2

Urinary incontinence affects around 3.5 million people of all ages in the UK.^1,2 For many, incontinence severely restricts their routine activities and damages their quality of life and self-esteem. In about one-third of women sufferers, and around a half of all men with incontinence, the cause is detrusor instability.^2,3 This condition is characterised by involuntary bladder contractions or pressure rises during bladder filling, which result in a strong or uncontrollable urge to pass urine and, often, incontinence.⁴ Here, we consider a primary care-based approach to managing urinary incontinence in adults, concentrating on the medical management of detrusor instability.