Table 4. Agents That Can Affect Bladder Function Decrease bladder contractility
ACE inhibitors (also may cause chronic cough) β-Adrenergic agonists Alcohol Anticholinergics Antidepressants Antihistamines Antipsychotics Calcium channel blockers Narcotics/opiates Sedatives/hypnotics
Increase detrusor irritability/ creatinine clearance
Increase urethral sphincter tone Decrease urethral sphincter tone
Caffeine Diuretics
α-Adrenergic agonists (cold medications, decongestants) Amphetamines Tricyclic antidepressants
α-Adrenergic blockers
Table 5. Screening Questions
> Do you leak urine when coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, exercise? How often? (stress incontinence)
> Is the leakage a small spurt (stress incontinence) or all the urine in your bladder (urge incontinence)?
> Do you leak urine with a strong urge on way to bathroom? How often? (overactive bladder)
> How frequently do you urinate during the day? Do you think that is too often? (overactive bladder)
> How often do you awaken to urinate after going to sleep? (overactive bladder)
> Do you ever leak urine during sex? If yes, with penetration (stress incontinence) or at orgasm (overactive bladder)?
> Do you wear pads to protect your clothes from urine leaking? What kinds of pads do you wear? How often do you change wet pads? (severity of urine loss)
> Do you ever find urine on pads or clothes and were unaware of leakage? (severity of urine loss)
> Does your bladder hurt when it is full or while you are urinating? (urinary tract infection, outlet obstruction, foreign body)
> Do you feel that you empty your bladder completely? (urinary tract infection, outlet obstruction, overactive bladder)
