ABSTRACT

Urinary incontinence, defined as the involuntary passage of urine per urethra, can be divided into

four clinical entities, as defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s clinical

practice guidelines (1). These are stress incontinence, in which a rapid increase in intra-

abdominal pressure causes urine leakage; urge incontinence, in which precipitous, uninhibited

detrussor contractions result an urgent need to void and leakage of urine; mixed stress and urge

incontinence; and overflow incontinence, in which chronic retention of urine results in passive

loss of small amounts of urine as the bladder is filled beyond capacity.