Nocturia in women.

Nocturia, one of the most bothersome of all urological symptoms, has previously been both poorly classified and understood. Multiple factors may result in nocturia, among which are pathological conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, lower urinary tract obstruction, anxiety or primary sleep disorders, and behavioral and environmental factors. Nocturia may be attributed to nocturnal polyuria (nocturnal urine overproduction), diminished nocturnal bladder capacity, polyuria or a combination of the three. These conditions can be distinguished by a simple arithmetic analysis of the patients 24-h voiding diary. After reviewing the current state of knowledge, a scheme for rational diagnosis and care of patients suffering from loss of sleep due to nocturnal micturition is presented in this article.