A 75-year-old reports loss of urine with cough, sneezing, or laughing. These symptoms support which diagnosis?

a. Urge incontinence
b. Stress incontinence
c. Overflow incontinence
d. Functional incontinence

ANS: B
Reduced resistance is associated with the symptom of stress incontinence, which is incontinence with coughing or sneezing. Urge incontinence is the inability to hold the urine when the urge is felt. There is coordination between the contracting bladder and the external sphincter, but the detrusor is too weak to empty the bladder, resulting in urinary retention with overflow or stress incontinence. Functional incontinence is similar to overflow and is not associated with coughing.