title: Overactive bladder syndrome - management and treatment options.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overactive bladder syndrome is a symptom-based clinical diagnosis. It is characterised by urinary urgency, frequency and nocturia, with or without urge urinary incontinence. These symptoms can often be managed in the primary care setting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article provides a review on overactive bladder syndrome and provides advice on management for the general practitioner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overactive bladder syndrome can have a significant effect on quality of life, and affects 12-17% of the population. Prevalence increases with age. The management of overactive bladder syndrome involves exclusion of underlying pathology. First line treatment includes lifestyle interventions, pelvic floor exercises, bladder training and antimuscarinic agents. Failure of conservative management necessitates urology referral. Second line therapies are more invasive, and include botulinum toxin, neuromodulation or surgical interventions such as augmentation cystoplasty or urinary diversion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Bendigo Hospital, Victoria. janine.arnold@optusnet.com.au
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: Ruban
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thani-Gasalam
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rashid
mesh_terms: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A