According to the International Continence Society, overactive
bladder is a symptom-defined condition characterized by urinary
urgency, with or without urgency incontinence, usually with
urinary frequency and nocturia (night-time urination). The term
overactive bladder is appropriate if there is no proven urinary
tract infection or other obvious pathology. Overactive bladder
was identified in 6.5% of Finnish men and 9.3% of women. In
younger age groups the condition was more common among women,
but among those over 60 years old it was more common among men.
Urinary frequency and nocturia were generally more common than
usual among those with an overactive bladder. However, most
reported urinary frequency and nocturia was not overactive
bladder. The research is based on a questionnaire conducted
2003-2004 among 3,000 Finnish women and 3,000 Finnish men. Their
ages ranged from 18 to 79. The subjects were taken from the
population register. Professor Teuvo Tammela and Professor Anssi
Auvinen are in charge of the