Pharmacotherapy of urinary incontinence in the elderly

Despite its prevalence, morbidity, and cost, urinary incontinence in the elderly is neither inevitable nor irreversible. The causes of incontinence in this population are more varied than in younger individuals and usually involve factors both extrinsic and intrinsic to the lower urinary tract. As a result, the evaluation and treatment of incontinence in the elderly must be broadly based and should not focus on the lower urinary tract alone. Adjuvant drug therapy may effectively reduce the frequency and amount of incontinence but usually cannot be used alone to cure the condition. Nonetheless, pharmacotherapy is a valuable therapeutic modality when based on an understanding of the pathophysiology of bladder and urethral dysfunction.