Changes in the receptor profile of the lower urinary tract in the aging male

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of th e most common effects of aging in men. Epidemiologists estimate that about one quarter of all men over 50 years of age suffer from BPH-derived voiding symptoms. Future demographic developments, with higher relative shares of older people, will increase the socioeconomic impact of this disease. Polder et al. (1994) calculated for the Netherlands that the treatment costs of BPH will double by 2035. Office visits for BPH related symptoms increased in the USA from 1.4 million in 1990 to 6 million in 1995, reflecting the increased public awareness of the problem and the increased desire for treatment (Kaplan et al. 1996).