Overactive bladder syndrome: considerations in pharmacotherapy and new perspectives

The great epidemiological relevance of the overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome and its impact on quality of life of sufferers has encouraged a growing amount of research both in basic science and in clinical fields, with the pharmacological treatment of OAB syndrome being particularly investigated. Recently a new perspective for the use of a-lytic drugs in the treatment of OAB syndrome has been disclosed due to encouraging anecdotal data, and to the identification of different adrenoceptor subtypes in the female lower urinary tract. Starting with a reference picture of female lower urinary tract disorders, the authors review the present pharmacological treatment of female lower urinary tract disorders, and delineate the new perspectives acquired from recent studies of adrenoceptor subtypes. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.