Benign prostatic hyperplasia evaluation, association with sexual dysfunction, treatment, and practice patterns according to physician specialty

Recent evidence has indicated a significant link between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and sexual dysfunction (SD). Patients presenting with lower urinary tracts symptoms (LUTS) secondary to BPH should also be evaluated for comorbid SD, especially given the increasing basic science evidence demonstrating a common pathway for these two conditions. Therapy for BPH may exacerbate SD and should be selected carefully, with current data indicating a role for phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors in the treatment of BPH. More long-term data are needed to determine the efficacy of the latest surgical therapies for BPH. The practice patterns of physicians differ slightly by specialty in the evaluation and treatment of patients with LUTS, but both groups significantly underestimate the prevalence of SD in this specific group of patients. Thus, sexual function should be a part of the urologic evaluation in patients with LUTS associated with BPH.