Iowa Researchers Find Link Between Urinary Incontinence, Cardiovascular Disease

What: A University of Iowa study of over 20,000 female patients found a potential connection between urinary incontinence and a higher risk of heart disease in women. Researchers were looking to see if incontinence led to less physical activity, which in turn could increase cardiovascular disease risk. They did not find that, but the condition was linked to various heart disease risk factors and events.

Key Line: “There is an association between incontinence and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk,” the study authors write. “Women should be screened for incontinence regularly as it may contribute to CVD risk, and women with CVD risk factors should be screened for undiagnosed incontinence.”