Bladder disease: A report based on the smooth muscle function in health and disease satellite meeting to the International Congress of Physiology.
One of the satellite meetings to the International Congress of Physiological Sciences concerned smooth muscle function in health and disease. In this report I have highlighted one of the areas of disease that were discussed: namely, bladder disease. In the treatment of unstable bladder, antimuscarinic agents are effective but cause unacceptable side effects. Thus, in order to prevent the side effects, new antimuscarinic agents are being prepared that show selectivity for the bladder and new methods for local delivery of antimuscarinics to the bladder are being developed. Potential new targets for the unstable bladder include P2X receptors and the nerve growth factor pathway. In detrusor-external sphincter dyssynergia, there is evidence to support a clinical trial of nitric oxide donors. The unpleasant and painful condition of interstitial cystitis has, to date, proven difficult to treat. Preliminary clinical data suggests that the leukotriene D(4) receptor antagonist montelukast may be useful in the treatment of IC. (c) 2001 Prous Science. All rights reserved.
Doggrell
Sheila A.
SA
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. s_doggrell@yahoo.com