Prognosis

Incontinence in and of itself is not a life-threatening condition. However, it can cause severe emotional distress including depression if untreated. It is associated with dementia, falls, and frailty in general, and as a result can lead to problems that can be more serious. For example, incontinence can cause a patient to hurry to the restroom leading to a fall. If the fall leads to a hip fracture, there can be up to a 20-25% mortality (death associated with it) due to its connection with immobility and life-threatening blood clots (pulmonary embolus and deep vein thrombosis).