PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT IMPACTS SEXUAL ACTIVITY

It's common knowledge that men with enlarged prostates suffer from urinary problems. However, they may have another complication that's less well-known: sexual dysfunction. That's the news from an extensive study conducted on some 14,000 men, ages 50 to 80, in the U.S. and six European countries.

According to Raymond Rosen, MD, professor of psychiatry and medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), and principal investigator of the study, there is a strong correlation between urinary problems and erectile disorders associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate. The study is the largest ever conducted to evaluate sexual function in older men.

"The results of this survey shed new light on the link between enlarged prostates and sexual dysfunction in older men," says Rosen. He explains that the prostate is the only organ that continues to grow with age. As it enlarges, it impinges upon nerves and blood vessels surrounding the prostate. Consequently, many men have lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), or difficulty urinating. BPH and LUTS often adversely affect men's sexual performance.

Among the men surveyed, 80 percent had experienced sexual activity during the month preceding the study. Some 65 percent of those over 70 years of age said they were still sexually active. The study indicated there is a strong correlation between the severity of BPH and erectile disorders. Fifty percent of all men surveyed reported impaired erectile function and 10 percent were unable to get an erection. Those figures rose to 67 percent and 16 percent, respectively, in men with moderate BPH symptoms and 82 percent and 28 percent in men with severe symptoms, regardless of age.

"Another finding of the survey was that despite the negative impact of LUTS and BPH on the quality of life in older men, only 20 percent of them actually see a physician to resolve their problem," says Rosen. He believes it's imperative that middle-aged and older men seek medical treatment to avoid the problems of urinary as well as sexual disorders related to prostate conditions. In most instances, they can be corrected with medications or minimally invasive treatments.