Prescription pattern of alpha-blockers for management of lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia

Abstract

This study investigated trends in the prescription of α-blockers for patients with BPH, focusing on changing patterns of prescriptions during 2002–2013 using National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort data. A total of 65,596 Korean males over 50 years old diagnosed with BPH were identified from the NHIS-NSC database between 2002–2013. Patterns of each α -blocker prescription were analyzed and persistence rate, switch rate, and return rate during a follow-up period of 3 years after the first prescription were calculated. A total of 28,318 men over 50 years old (64.95 ± 9.12), changed medication within six months following the first prescription of α -blocker. (1) Tamsulosin showed the highest persistence rate when compared with other α-blockers (2) Among patients who switched to a second α-blocker, tamsulosin showed the highest return rate when compared with other α-blockers. Tamsulosin has been the most commonly prescribed α1-blocker since the mid-2000s, in line with its demonstrated highest persistence and return rates. These data probably reflect patient satisfaction with α1-blockers in the management of BPH, in which the decision to stop and switch pharmacological treatments is primarily based on changes in symptoms or side effects.