David R. Staskin, MD, Department of Urology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Edward Zoltan, MD, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Alan J. Wein, MD, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Older adults have a high prevalence of urinary incontinence. Among the older adult population, many nonurinary pathological, anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological factors may serve as comorbidities in the development of incontinence. The treating physician must appreciate potentially reversible pathologies. Older adults frequently are prescribed several drugs; therefore, it is important to consider drug-drug metabolic interactions. Age-associated changes may affect pharmacological actions of the drug. Antimuscarinic therapy has been proven efficacious and represents the first line of pharmacologic therapy for overactive bladder (OAB). The selection of an antimuscarinic agent for the management of an older individual presenting with OAB is limited by the natural condition of the aging body and by the side effects associated with antimuscarinics as a class and the specific agents themselves.
Key words: urinary incontinence, antimuscarinics, older adult, frail older adult, geriatrics.
