Survey findings also showed that 68 percent of Americans believe that OAB is a normal consequence of aging. While the prevalence of OAB increases with age, Rodney Appell, M.D., urology expert at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, stated, "You can have an overactive bladder at any age. I'm seeing patients considered baby boomers who thought it was normal to go to the bathroom as much as they do. I tell them what I tell all patients: 'don't tolerate this medical condition; let's determine the cause and provide treatment.'"

While most people have heard of urinary incontinence, one of the symptoms of overactive bladder, many are not aware that the frequent and urgent need to urinate are also symptoms of this medical condition. As a result, this debilitating condition -- which has been estimated to affect 17 million Americans -- is often unrecognized and underreported and its prevalence is believed to be much greater. In fact, 74 percent of men and women surveyed said they are unaware that these symptoms may be the result of a chronic medical condition. Instead of seeking treatment, many people with OAB alter their lifestyle in order to endure the condition.*

"It's a normal thing to have to go to the bathroom, but for me it became my worst enemy," said Bettye Roussos, a 56-year-old woman who for the past five years lived with overactive bladder. "It got to the point that my life was out of control because I was always focused on finding the next bathroom instead of living my life. It was very humiliating and uncomfortable."

OAB is characterized by urgency (sudden, overwhelming urge to urinate); frequency (urinating more than eight times per 24 hours); and, urge incontinence (sudden and total involuntary loss of urine). Patients with OAB do not necessarily experience all of these symptoms.

New Treatment Provides Hope
Sixty-four percent of Americans said they would seek medical treatment if they knew their symptoms could indicate a medical problem. Fortunately for patients diagnosed with overactive bladder, Detrol, the first new bladder control medication approved in 20 years, is now available in pharmacies nationwide. Available by prescription only, Detrol offers new hope to the millions of people in the U.S. coping with overactive bladder.

"In my trials, I found Detrol to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for symptoms of overactive bladder," said Appell. "The availability of Detrol may provide a new sense of freedom for many people relying upon elaborate coping mechanisms to hide their condition."

Many of those surveyed live with an intensifying fear of actually having an accident. In fact, nearly 35 percent of those consumers surveyed with symptoms of OAB feared having an accident. This fear can lead to a practice known as toilet mapping, reducing fluids and avoiding sexual intimacy.

"It's ironic that society doesn't talk about, and, in fact, seems to make fun of symptoms associated with overactive bladder," said Thomas M. Bruckman, executive director and CEO, American Foundation for Urologic Disease. "Overactive bladder affects millions of people and is a problem that the medical community and society need to discuss openly."

About the Survey
The omnibus survey, conducted by Bruskin/Goldring Research, was commissioned by Pharmacia & Upjohn to gauge the potential prevalence and quality of life impact of overactive bladder. The national survey was based on 1,014 completed phone calls (528 women, 486 men) with adult Americans between the ages of 18-65 and older.

About Detrol Tablets
In the largest clinical development program for a bladder control medication (almost 2,000 adult patients with symptoms of overactive bladder), Detrol (2 mg twice daily) effectively reduced the median number of times people urinated over a 24-hour period. In three placebo-controlled, 12-week studies with Detrol (2 mg twice daily), patients had a significant reduction (15 to 21 percent) in median number of urinations per 24 hours compared to baseline (baseline median ranged from 10.4 to 11.0 urinations per 24 hours).

This reduction was significantly greater than the change for placebo-treated patients in 2 of 3 studies. Data from three placebo-controlled studies showed that patients taking Detrol (2 mg twice daily) decreased their incontinence episodes by 50 to 56 percent from baseline. However, this reduction was not statistically significant compared with placebo.

The overall number of adverse events with Detrol was comparable to placebo. Reported side effects of Detrol considered treatment-related included dry mouth (39.5 percent for Detrol vs. 15.9 percent for placebo). However, less than one percent actually dropped out of clinical trials due to dry mouth. Other side effects included: headache, constipation, indigestion and dry eyes.

* Available: Fact sheets, "Overview of Overactive Bladder," "Overactive Bladder Coping Mechanisms".

For a free non-branded brochure, "Understanding Overactive Bladder," consumers can call 1-800-295-5556.

SOURCE: Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc.