Myogenic Underactive Bladder and Heart Failure Resemblance: A Novel Role for SGLT2 Inhibition?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Cardiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) and myogenic underactive bladder (mUAB) exhibit comparable pathophysiology, including muscle injury linked to disease severity.
• Both conditions progress to advanced stages characterized by myocardial and detrusor fibrosis, resulting in reduced contractility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the pathophysiological similarities between HF and mUAB.
• To investigate the potential therapeutic role of SGLT2 inhibitors in treating mUAB, drawing parallels with their efficacy in HF.

Main Methods:

• This mini-review synthesizes existing literature on the biomechanics and pathophysiology of HF and mUAB.
• It examines the shared mechanisms of muscle injury and fibrosis in both conditions.
• It evaluates the established pharmacological treatments for HF and considers their potential applicability to mUAB.

Main Results:

• HF and mUAB share commonalities in muscle injury and fibrosis, impacting contractility in both the heart and bladder.
• Currently, effective pharmacological treatments for mUAB are lacking, unlike established therapies for HF.

Conclusions:

• The shared pathophysiological pathways between HF and mUAB suggest a potential therapeutic avenue.
• SGLT2 inhibitors, demonstrating success in HF treatment, are hypothesized to be beneficial for mUAB, offering a novel treatment strategy.