benign prostatic hyperplasia

• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

  Prostate gland gets bigger causing lower urinary tract symptoms - reduced urinary flow rate/obstructive symptoms
• Refer

  • Symptoms present for <3 months
  • Prostate surgery
  • Problems with heart, liver, kidneys
  • Postural Hypotension - get faint/ dizzy on sitting/ standing up
  • Blurred/cloudy vision not previously investigated by GP/optician
  • Pain/ Bloody/Cloudy urine
  • Fever that may be related to UTI (urinary tract infection)
  • Known hypersensitivity to tamsulosin
• Treatment

  Tamsulosin (Flomax Relief)
• Tamsulosin dosage

  1. One 400mcg capsule daily

  2. Swallowed whole after food, same time each day

  3. Initial 2 week supply only, if urinary improvement then give further 4 weeks

  4. After 6 weeks, further supply only if pt confirms GP carried out clinical assessment and agreed further supplies are appropriate

  5. if symptoms not improved/ worsen within 14 days stop and refer to GP
• Tamsulosin counselling

  • Alpha blocker that relaxes smooth muscle
  • Licensed for males aged 45-75 years
  • Only if symptoms present for 3 months or greater
• Tamsulosin given concurrently with drugs which may reduce blood pressure


  Theoretical risk of enhanced hypotensive effect
• example of alpha 1 adrenoreceptor antagonists?

  • doxazosin , prazosin,
• counselling for BPH?


  • see GP within 6 weeks of starting floxmax, to confirm symptoms are of BPH
  • see GP every 12 months to check prostate