TY - JOUR T1 - Emerging Pharmacologic Approaches for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Disorders JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 797 LP - 804 DO - 10.1124/jpet.102.034991 VL - 308 IS - 3 AU - Robert B. Moreland AU - Jorge D. Brioni AU - James P. Sullivan Y1 - 2004/03/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/308/3/797.abstract N2 - Lower urinary tract disorders include disorders affecting continence (stress urinary incontinence, urge urinary incontinence, and benign prostatic hyperplasia) and male erectile dysfunction. Although none of these conditions are fatal, they affect overall quality of life. Throughout modern medicine the treatment of these conditions was limited to psychological counseling or surgical intervention. In recent years, research defining the physiological mechanisms of continence and male sexual function has aided in the pharmacologic design of approaches to these conditions. These agents can act both centrally or on the peripheral genitourinary smooth muscle to alleviate disease symptoms. Incontinence is primarily treated with agents that act directly on the bladder smooth muscle such as muscarinic antagonists. However, afferent blockade to attenuate the spinalbulbospinal reflex pathway including mixed norepinephrine/serotonin reuptake inhibitors may provide a key breakthrough. Erectile dysfunction treatment has been revolutionized via the discovery of the nitric oxide pathway and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. New peripheral targets as well as centrally acting agents represent potential emerging therapies. In this review, the pharmacologic basis of treatment of these disorders is discussed with special emphasis on emerging new therapeutics. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics ER -