Men need to be aware that their prostate gland grows as they get older and may cause some problems that need to be managed, said Dr Farhat Abbas, Consultant Urologist, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi who had a brief stopover in UAE.

Dr. Farhat Abbas is the Consultant Urologist at AKUH and the Dean, Medical College, The Aga Khan University. He has been awarded the “Tamgha-e-Imtiaz”, by the President of Pakistan in 2010 which is one of the highest honours by the Government of Pakistan, for his distinguished work in the field of medicine.

Dr. Abbas explained that the most common of the prostatic problems is prostate gland enlargement — in medical terms benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or prostatic hypertrophy — that affects older men. Up to 40 per cent of men over the age of 60 may have BPH-related urinary problems that range from pain in the groin or lower back, a weak urinary stream, difficulty in starting urination and frequent urination.

An evaluation could include a review of the patient’s history, a digital rectal examination, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and some other relevant tests to rule out any other problems.

Once diagnosed, there are several effective treatments available that depend on an individual’s own general health, the size of the prostrate and how bothersome the symptoms are — the mere presence of an enlarged prostate gland is not an indication in itself to start therapy. Options include regular examinations, medication, telescopic surgery and open surgery. There are pros and cons to each approach and the treatment has to be tailored to meet an individual patient’s needs.

Dr. Farhat also mentioned that another problem is prostatitis, which is an infection or inflammation of the gland. it frequently affects young to middle-aged men and usually produces painful urinary problems, as well as pain in the lower back and thighs. Antibiotics and pain medications are available to manage this problem but this condition may need to be treated over a longer period of time.

The causes of prostate cancer are still unclear and there is no method to prevent it. However, men can take steps to eat a diet low in fats, with more fish than red meat, green vegetables and fruits rich in folate.  If cancer is diagnosed, doctors use a number of tests to determine if it has spread to other parts of the body or not. for prostate cancer which is limited to the gland itself, there is strong chance of a complete cure either through surgery or radiation therapy.

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FRIDAY, Feb. 4 (HealthDay News) — Experts at the American Urological Association (AUA) have issued updated guidelines on diagnosing and treating enlarged prostate — a common condition formally know as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

BPH can lead to lower urinary tract symptoms such as incontinence and affect a man’s quality of life. the new guidelines, the first since 2003, include a detailed procedure on how to help doctors diagnose and treat those urinary tract problems. they also lower the age at which doctors should start to look for these issues in patients — the “index patient age” — from 50 to 45.

“This document provides much-needed guidance to doctors who are already treating lower urinary tract symptoms, as well as those who will be in the future,” Dr. Kevin T. McVary, chair of the guidelines panel, said in an AUA news release.

When treating a patient with suspected lower urinary tract issues, a doctor should obtain a relevant medical history, assess symptoms using the AUA’s symptom index, and conduct a full physical examination, including a digital rectal exam, the new guidelines say.

Laboratory tests should include a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a urine analysis. Urine frequency and volume charts may also prove useful in reaching a diagnosis.

The advisory also includes new recommendations about drug treatment for enlarged prostate and advises doctors to delay prescribing alpha-blocker drugs to treat an enlarged prostate if a patient is scheduled for eye cataract surgery.

Patients already taking alpha blockers should inform their eye doctor prior to cataract surgery. That’s because cataract surgery patients taking alpha blockers are at risk for a complication called intraoperative floppy iris syndrome, which can lead to increased pain, a longer recovery and less improvement in vision.

One urologist called the new guidelines “a welcomed update.”

“Since the last published guideline in 2003, many new medical and surgical therapies have emerged to help urologists treat men who suffer from lower urinary tract symptoms related to BPH. Incorporating these new treatments in the new 2011 guideline will help to standardize care for all men diagnosed with BPH,” said Dr. David Shin, assistant professor of urology at the medical school of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and a clinician at Hackensack University Medical Center.

“Interestingly, the 2011 guideline also lowered the index patient age to 45 from 50,” he added. “It is not surprising that younger men are having lower urinary tract symptoms since enlargement of the prostate begins at age 45. with this new AUA guideline, physicians will be able to effectively treat both the younger and older male suffering from voiding dysfunction related to their enlarged prostate.”

The guideline is expected to be published in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Urology.

– Robert Preidt

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCE: Dr. David Shin, MD, assistant professor, urology, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Medical School, and clinician, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ; American Urological Association, news release, Feb. 3, 2011

Frequent urination is a symptom of an enlarged prostate, but you really need to see the doctor, have a PSA blood test and probably a biopsy to be sure.

google.com/search?q=prostate+…

Google is your best friend… learn to use it.