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Management of Overactive Bladder in Older Women

  • Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms & Voiding Dysfunction (J Sandhu, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Urology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review:

This review will highlight our current understanding of age-related changes in bladder function and propose important clinical considerations in the management of overactive bladder (OAB) specific to older women.

Recent findings:

Frailty, functional and cognitive impairment, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, estrogen deficiency, and remaining life expectancy are important clinical factors to consider and may impact OAB symptom management in older women. Third-line therapies, particularly PTNS, may be preferable over second-line therapy in some cases.

Summary:

Due to the complexity within this population, the standard treatment algorithms may not be applicable, thus a broader, more holistic focus is recommended when managing OAB in older women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kaiser Permanente East Bay-University of California San Francisco, 275 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA, 94618, USA

    Toya S. Pratt

  2. University of California, San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0738, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA

    Anne M. Suskind

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  1. Toya S. Pratt
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Correspondence to Anne M. Suskind.

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Conflict of Interest

Toya S. Pratt declares no potential conflicts of interest.

Anne M. Suskind is a consultant for Acoustic Wave Cell Therapy and received a grant from the NIH/NIA (#R01AG058616-01).

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Voiding Dysfunction

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Pratt, T.S., Suskind, A.M. Management of Overactive Bladder in Older Women. Curr Urol Rep 19, 92 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-018-0845-5

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