Cisapride enhances detrusor contractility and improves micturition in a woman with lazy bladder

A 32-year-old woman with lazy bladder was treated with cisapride (10 mg q.i.d.) for three weeks, obtaining a progressive improvement of the symptomatology and urodynamic parameters, and the return to pretreatment conditions after drug withdrawal. This case agrees with the evidence that cisapride potentiates the release of acetylcholine from postganglionic cholinergic nerves in the human isolated detrusor by activating 5-HT4 receptors, i.e. through the same mechanism responsible for its gastrointestinal prokinetic action. It is concluded that selective 5-HT4 agonists could be potentially useful to improve bladder emptying in micturition disorders associated with detrusor hypocontractility.