Nocturia: A new perspective on an old symptom

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of urology and nephrology Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 112 - 116
• Main Author: Lundgren, Rolf
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Informa UK Ltd 2004; Taylor & Francis; Taylor and Francis
• Subjects: arginine vasopressin; Biological and medical sciences; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin - therapeutic use; desmopressin acetate; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; nocturia; polyuria; Polyuria - complications; Polyuria - diagnosis; Polyuria - drug therapy; Prostatectomy - methods; Renal Agents - therapeutic use; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction - complications; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction - diagnosis; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction - surgery; Urinary system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; Urination Disorders - drug therapy; Urination Disorders - etiology; Urination Disorders - surgery; Urination Disorders - therapy; Voiding dysfunction; Symptomatology; Perspective; Nephrology; arginine vasopressin; desmopressin acetate; Urinary system disease; polyuria; Urology; Nocturia
• ISSN: 0036-5599; 1651-2065
• DOI: 10.1080/00365590310020033

The purpose of this review is to make urologists aware of the fact that nocturia among elderly men has a multifactorial aetiology and does not always depends on bladder outlet obstruction. After diagnosis of the underlying cause, specific treatments can be offered to the patient, one of which is transurethral resection of the prostate. Nocturia, defined as waking up at night to void, is a very common and bothersome symptom, affecting >50% of both men and women aged >60 years. Nocturnal polyuria is one reason for nocturia. Recent studies have shown that this condition can now be treated successfully with desmopressin acetate, a synthetic analogue of arginine vasopressin, which for many years has been used in the treatment of enuresis in children.