Stress urinary incontinence in women.

PURPOSE: To review and synthesize existing knowledge about the epidemiology, pathophysiology, evaluation, and management of stress urinary incontinence in women. DATA SOURCE: Selected scientific literature.
CONCLUSIONS: Stress urinary incontinence is more than merely a symptom. Instead, it is a clinically relevant disease with adverse psychosocial and physical consequences. Evaluation begins with active screening and is followed by individualized assessment when urinary leakage is detected. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Traditional treatment modalities, including pelvic muscle rehabilitation, focus on behavioral strategies to reduce urine loss, and surgical correction of anatomic defects is completed in selected cases. Pharmacotherapeutic options have been limited, but one compound is undergoing clinical trials to determine whether it is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence.