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Drugs affecting the
urinary tract and the bladder
Learning objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:
1.
Describe four common problems associated with the urinary tract, including the clinical manifestations of
these problems.
2.
Describe the therapeutic actions, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications and cautions, most
common adverse reactions and important drug–drug interactions associated with urinary tract anti-
infectives, antispasmodics and analgesics, bladder protectants and drugs used to treat benign prostatic
hyperplasia (BPH).
3.
Discuss the use of drugs affecting the urinary tract and bladder across the lifespan.
4.
Compare and contrast the prototype drugs norfloxacin, oxybutynin and pentosan polysulfate sodium with
other agents in their class.
5.
Outline the care considerations, including important teaching points, for people receiving drugs affecting the
urinary tract and bladder.
Glossary of key terms
acidification:
the process of increasing the acid level; used to treat bladder infections, making the bladder an undesirable place for
bacteria
antispasmodics:
agents that block muscle spasm associated with irritation or neurological stimulation benign prostatic hyperplasia
(BPH): enlargement of the prostate gland, associated with age and inflammation; also called benign prostatic hypertrophy
cystitis:
inflammation of the bladder, caused by infection or irritation
dysuria:
painful urination
interstitial cystitis:
chronic inflammation of the interstitial connective tissue of the bladder; may extend into deeper tissue
nocturia:
getting up to void at night, reflecting increased renal perfusion with fluid shifts in the supine position when a person has
gravity-dependent oedema related to heart failure; other medical conditions, including urinary tract infection, increase the need
to get up and void
pyelonephritis:
inflammation of the pelves of the kidney, frequently caused by backward flow problems or by bacteria ascending
the ureter
urgency:
the feeling that one needs to void immediately; associated with infection and inflammation in the urinary tract
urinary frequency:
the need to void often; usually seen in response to irritation of the bladder, age and inflammation
Test your current knowledge of drugs affecting the urinary tract and bladder with a PrepU Practice Quiz!
URINARY TRACT
ANTI-INFECTIVES
hexamine hippurate
nitrofurantoin
norfloxacin
URINARY TRACT
ANTISPASMODICS
darifenacin
oxybutynin
solifenacin
tolterodine
OTHER DRUGS USED THAT
AFFECT THE URINARY TRACT
AND BLADDER
Bladder protectant
pentosan polysulfate
sodium
DRUGS FOR TREATING BENIGN
PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA
Alpha-adrenergic blockers
alfuzosin
tamsulosin
terazosin
Drugs that block testosterone
production
dutasteride
finasteride
