Female stress urinary incontinence.
BACKGROUND
Stress urinary incontinence is a common and costly condition amongst community dwelling women. It can have a significant negative impact on the quality of life and yet less than half of women with urinary incontinence seek medical attention. It is important for primary care physicians to have a clear understanding of stress urinary incontinence in order to screen and manage patients who may have bothersome symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
This article aims to outline the terminology, pathophysiology, clinical evaluation and treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.


CONCLUSIONS
Female stress urinary incontinence can be effectively evaluated and managed in the primary setting. Specialist referral is warranted when there is complex urinary symptomatology, hematuria on work-up or failure of conservative therapy.
Wang
Audrey
A
Department of Urology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Carr
Lesley K
LK
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053825:Suburethral Slings; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014563:Urodynamics; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors