Urinary Tract Infection: Uncomplicated Infections in Women – Nurse Practitioner
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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common outpatient
infections, accounting for over 10 million office visits
and 2-3 million emergency room visits each year. Women are
more likely to experience a UTI than men and have a lifetime
incidence as high as 60%. The likelihood of a UTI increases
as women age; those over 65 years old have twice the incidence
as younger females. In addition, 30 to 40% of women who
experience a UTI have a recurrence, frequently within the next
3 months. The cost of evaluation and treatment of UTIs in the
US is estimated at 2 billion dollars per year.
Urinary tract infections include infection of the bladder
and/or lower urinary tract (also called cystitis) and infection of
the kidney and/or upper urinary tract (pyelonephritis). Most
UTIs are acute simple cystitis. Recurrent UTIs (rUTIs) are common
and affect women of all ages, ethnicities, education levels,
and socioeconomic status. These infections reduce a woman’s
quality of life and the mental stress of rUTIs sometimes leads to
depression.