“The Overactive Bladder Syndrome” has become an a term to simplify a complex array of symptoms which leads people to believe that an overactive bladder is an independent disease in itself. But it is much more complicated than that.
The article on overactive bladder syndrome, which was co-written by Tikkinen, who currently holds a senior researcher post at the McMaster University in Canada, and Anssi Auvinen, Professor of Epidemiology from the University of Tampere, was recently published in the European Urology journal. For the article, the researchers systematically reviewed the studies on overactive bladder and the channels through which these studies have been funded.
According to the current definition, overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is defined as the presence of urinary urgency with or without urgency incontinence, usually with increased daytime frequency and nocturia in the absence of infection or other obvious pathology.
“The definition is vague and ambiguous because it includes unspecific terms, such as ‘usually’ and ‘with or without’, and the unclear expression ‘other obvious pathology’,” Tikkinen says and continues, “For the pharmaceutical industry this definition is probably quite useful, as it is partly the reason why one medicine can be prescribed to a large number of patients.”
The authors argue that the symptoms of an ‘overactive bladder’ should not be studied as one, but rather individually. With this method, the underlying causes of each symptoms would be more understood and more effective treatments could be developed.
“The Concept Of ‘overactive Bladder’ Serves Better Commercial Rather Than Patient Interests.” Medical News Today. (2012). <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/240334.php>.
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