Men's Health Flashcards
Describe the location of the prostate
- Below the bladder
- Above the urogenital diaphragm
- Behind the pubic symphysis
- In front of the rectum
- Around the urethra
*anterior disease is hard to detect w/ rectal exam
Describe the structure of the prostate
- Stromal (fibromuscular) and glandular (epithelial) components
- Three lobes (Left & Right, Median)
- Surrounded by a capsule (expands inward and can compress the urethra)
*Produces seminal fluid
How do you estimate the weight/size of the prostate
20 g: 2 finger widths (normal prostate)
30 g: 3 finger widths
40 g: 3 finger widths ++
>40 g: bigger
What should you document a prostate DRE
- note size/estimate weight
- Texture: Firm, nodular, boggy
- Asymmetry
- Tenderness
Types of prostatitis
- Common inflammatory condition of the prostate gland
- Acute bacterial prostatitis (ABP)
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP)
- Nonbacterial prostatitis (NBP)/prostatodynia
- Other (rare) e.g. gonococcal prostatitis
Symptoms of ABP
- Fever and chills
- Malaise
- Perineal and low back pain
- Irritative voiding symptoms: burning, frequency, urgency, nocturia
- Obstructive voiding symptoms: difficulty initiating stream, retention
**ACUTELY ILL– needs to be taken seriously!
What is the most common cause of ABP and what is the tx
- Ascending infection - gram negative rods (e. coli, klebsiella)
- Uncommon, potentially serious
- Treatment is generally with IV antibiotics
What are sx of CBP
- Generally less severe than ABP
- Some patients are asymptomatic
May have some or all of the following: - Irritative voiding symptoms: burning, frequency, urgency, nocturia
- Pelvic and/or perineal pain
- Postejaculatory pain (occasionally)
- Hematospermia (occasionally)
*Common, often persistent and frustrating
What is the most common type of prostatisis
NBP/prostatodynia
Describe the presentation of NBP/prostatodynia
- Typically afebrile
- No bacteria on culture, no response to antibiotics
- DRE can be normal or mildly tender
- Symptoms similar to CBP
- *Undetermined cause
- *Urinary tract disease must be excluded
Prostatitis DDX
- UTI
- BPH
- Prostate cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Urethral stricture
- Neurogenic bladder
- Interstitial cystitis
- Hernia
- Musculoskeletal
Describe the evaluation of prostatitis
- PE -attention to abdominal and genital exam, hernias
- DRE - prostate typically swollen and tender
- UA - pyuria (WBCs) usually seen in ABP
- Prostatic fluid culture via prostatic massage*
- EPS (expressed prostatic secretions)
*Contraindicated in ABP
When is prostatic message contraindicated
in ABP
*high risk of urosepsis in elderly
how Do you dx NBP/prostatodynia
- Need 2 rounds of abx (different classes) bc you need to exclude Urinary tract disease/bacterial process
- often refer to urology
What is the tx of CBP
- FQ (cipro, levofloxacin)- Abx of choice!
- SMX-TMP-less effective but still an option
*tx for 4 weeks minimum
What is the tx of NBP
- NSAIDS*
- alpha– blockers (relax prostate and bladder neck)
- 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors – helpful if patient also has BPH
- Dietary restriction - avoidance of alcohol*, caffeine, pseudoephedrine, other irritants
- Sitz baths
- Prostatic massage
- Counseling
- Surgery (see BPH)
OR…how about the Dila-Therm?
What signifies an abnormal DRE for prostatiis
boggy
tender
stimulates urge to pee
What is the most common benign tumor in men over 60
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
*Affects roughly 50% at age 60, 90% at age 85
What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) characterized by?
- prostatic enlargement,
- obstruction of bladder outlet,
- voiding symptoms
**Prostate size does not correlate with degree of obstruction
Only __% of men with anatomical BPH will ever need treatment, however…
__% of American males over 50 have moderate to severe symptoms…ASK ABOUT IT!!
50%
30%
Describe the basic pathophysiology of BPH
- Increase in cell number
- Capsule limits outward growth, urethra obstructed
- Etiology not well understood but androgens play a necessary role
BPH can lead to:
- severe bladder dysfunction
- recurrent UIT
- bladder stones
Most BPH involves ___ tissue, some cases have a ___ component
stromal
glandular
What are obstructive sx of BPH
- Hesitancy (delay/difficulty in initiating stream)
- Weak urinary stream
- Feeling of incomplete bladder emptying
- Intermittency (stopping and starting several times during voiding)
What are irritative sx of BPH
- Urgency (feeling of little warning when urge develops)
- Frequency (frequent urination with short intervals)
- Nocturia
- Dysuria
- Feeling of incomplete bladder emptying
Describe the evaluation of suspected BPH
- PE -attention to abdominal and genital exam, hernias
- DRE - size, texture
- Urinalysis - pyuria or hematuria
- Serum creatinine– long standing could cause VUR renal scarring
- May consider: Uroflowmetry, pressure-flow studies, cystoscopy, ultrasound, biopsy
Describe the scoring of AUA symptoms score
*good to assess symptom changes (response to meds, progression)
0-7: mild
8-19: moderate
20-35: severe
*opens door for discussion
What are management strategies for BPH
- Watchful waiting
- Correction of aggravating factors
- Medical treatment
- Minimally invasive therapies: fluid restriction
- Surgical therapies
- Other (laser, stents)
- Beer?
Who is the ideal candidate for watchful waiting with BPH
- Mild symptoms (AUA symptom score 7 or less)
- No recurrent UTI
- No gross hematuria
- No bladder stones
- No urinary retention
- No renal insufficiency
What are ways for correction of aggravating factors in BPH
- Fluid restriction, particularly before bedtime
- Avoidance of caffeine, alcohol
- Tight control of diabetes
- Medications (diuretics, decongestants, anti-cholinergics– PSEUDOPHED)
- Treatable neurologic conditions
- Recurrent UTIs or prostatitis
- Coexisting urologic conditions
In men over 50, always ask about
- sexual function
- concerns about urination
*30% of males over 50 have moderate-severe symptoms of BPH
What medications can be used to treat BPh
- Alpha-blockers
- 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5aRI)
- Phytotherapy– saw palmetto berry and Trinovin (soy isoflavone extract)
How do alpha-blockers work to treat BPH
- Prostatic smooth muscle cells have type a1-adrenoceptors (a1-AR) - norepinephrine
- Bind to and block a-adrenoceptors on smooth muscle
- Binding to a1-AR on smooth muscle of fibromuscular stroma causes relaxation of the prostate, greater urine flow
What are side effects of alpha-blockers (used to tx BPH)
- Side effects related to binding to non-prostatic receptors
1. dizziness
2. fatigue
3. somnolence
4. postural hypotension
5. flu-like symptoms
6. retrograde ejaculation
7. others (nausea, erectile dysfunction, etc)
Selective long-acting a-blockers medications used in BPH:
- No significant difference in efficacy among these
1. a1-AR blockers: terazosin (Hytrin), doxazosin (Cardura)
2. a1a-AR blockers: tamsulosin (Flomax), alfuzosin (Uroxatral) - more selective for prostate receptors, FEWER side effects