Managing Urinary Incontinence in Patients with Dementia: Pharmacological Treatment Options and Considerations

Abstract

Urinary incontinence and lower urinary tract symptoms are highly prevalent in late life and are strongly associated with dementia and frailty. Incontinence is extremely common among those living in long-term care and is most commonly due to urgency incontinence. Although national and international guidelines for continence care exist, they often fail to consider the complex comorbidity found in patients with dementia and are often not followed; continence practices in long-term care may promote rather than prevent incontinence. The majority of those with dementia living in the community can be managed successfully with standard treatments, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological; the expectations and aims of treatment of both the patient and their caregivers should be considered. A dementia diagnosis does not preclude management of incontinence, but treatment options may be more limited in those with advanced dementia who are unable to retain information and modify behaviors. High-quality data to guide the choice of pharmacological agent in those with dementia are lacking. Oxybutynin has been shown to have significant adverse cognitive effects, but data to support the use of trospium, solifenacin, darifenacin, and fesoterodine are limited. No data are available for mirabegron. Neither age, frailty, nor dementia should be considered a barrier to pharmacological management, but consideration should be given to the total anticholinergic load. Evidence to guide the treatment of incontinence in this vulnerable patient group is scarce, and available guidelines adapted for each individual’s situation should be applied.