Drugs for the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome: present and future (A Review)

Published data concerning drugs currently used for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome were reviewed. Modern notions about the physiology and pathophysiology of micturition were considered and data on the pharmacological properties, tolerance, and therapeutic efficiency of anticholinergic drugs (antimuscarinic agents), the first-line drugs for treating OAB, were presented. Data on drugs with a different mechanism of action that are currently used to treat OAB were reviewed. Information on the principal directions of new drug development, in particular, β3-adrenoreceptor agonists, compounds affecting KCNQ/Kv7-channels, vitamin D receptors, etc., was summarized.