Teleflex survey finds “extreme bathroom planning” to accommodate urinary symptoms common with an enlarged prostate (BPH) impacts daily activities
WAYNE, Pa., June 16, 2021 – Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE: TFX) today announced results of a new survey showing that men with urinary symptoms common with an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, may anticipate and plan for their urgent and frequent bathroom needs and even avoid events and activities they enjoy because of their urinary symptoms. Whether they plan for interrupted sleep, limit the amount they drink, or purposefully seek out and stay close to the bathroom, extreme bathroom planning can disrupt normal daily activities.
“In BPH patients, the enlarged prostate presses on and blocks the urethra, causing bothersome urinary symptoms, such as an urgent or frequent need to urinate or the sensation that the bladder is not empty after urinating,” said Gregg Eure,+ M.D., FACS, Urology of Virginia. “These symptoms can significantly impact a man’s quality of life, leading to interrupted sleep and even a loss of productivity and depression.”1
The survey sponsored by Teleflex Incorporated was conducted to explore how urinary symptoms commonly associated with BPH impact men’s daily lives. The survey included approximately 1,000 men in the United States, 45 years and older, who have experienced at least one of these urinary symptoms.
Nearly half (45.49%) of all men surveyed reported they have avoided events or activities they enjoy because of their urinary symptoms. When they do attend an event or perform an activity, a significant number of men surveyed make plans or take action to accommodate their bathroom needs. Among all men surveyed:
- More than 40% have chosen certain routes (roads, highways, etc.) on road trips because they have more or better availability of restroom facilities.
- About 1 in 5 said that locating the closest bathroom is the first thing they do when they go somewhere new.
- About 43% have selected their seat when purchasing tickets to a sporting or entertainment event because it has better or easier access to the restroom.
“These ‘extreme’ bathroom planning and mapping habits are not just limited to daytime activities,” said Dr. Eure. “Many men with urinary problems, including BPH patients, experience frequent nighttime waking to use the bathroom to urinate. As we see in this survey, many of these men are expecting and planning for sleep interruptions.”
The majority of all men surveyed (over 70%) said their energy level has been impacted during the day because they get up frequently at night to urinate. To avoid this, about three in four men (74.8%) have limited the amount they drink in the evening. Some men (about 22%) have even slept in another bed or room than their spouse, partner or significant other to avoid waking them up when they get up to urinate.
While not all urinary symptoms are caused by BPH, men over the age of 45 who are experiencing urgent or frequent urinary symptoms, should consider speaking with their doctor about their prostate health. More than 42 million men in the United States alone have BPH, with over 14.4 million men under a doctor’s care for the condition.2 BPH is unrelated to, but more common than, prostate cancer, 3,4 and if left untreated, it can lead to permanent bladder damage. 5 The sooner BPH is treated, the sooner patients can improve their symptoms and quality of life.
“Medications are a very common treatment option for men diagnosed with BPH,” said Kevin Hardage, President of the Teleflex Interventional Urology business unit. “In this survey, over 65% of men surveyed who have been diagnosed with BPH have taken a medication to treat their condition. Unfortunately, nearly one in four of these men said their medication was ‘not very effective’ or ‘not effective at all’ in helping them reduce their need to plan their next bathroom trip to urinate.” BPH relief through medication can be inadequate and temporary, with side effects such as sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches, prompting many patients to quit using the drugs.6 A recent study found that commonly prescribed BPH medications are linked to an increased risk of new instances of heart failure.7 Among men in this survey who are currently taking a BPH medication and have never had a medical procedure or surgery to treat their condition, over two-thirds (66.81%) said they are extremely, very or somewhat interested in a minimally invasive procedure (no heating or cutting) that could help them reduce their bathroom visits and planning and mapping needs.
“The UroLift® System is a minimally invasive approach to treating BPH and a proven alternative to medications and major surgeries” said Dr. Eure. “The UroLift System enables me to offer my BPH patients immediate, visible results and rapid symptom relief, and the full procedure can be performed right in my office under local anesthesia or in my adjacent surgery center with light anesthesia. Patients can go home the same day, recover from the procedure quickly and can return to their normal activities with minimal downtime.”
About the UroLift® System
The UroLift® System is a minimally invasive treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is indicated for the treatment of symptoms of an enlarged prostate up to 100cc in men 45 years or older. The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during an outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction without heating, cutting, destruction or removing prostate tissue. The UroLift System is the only leading BPH procedure shown to not cause new onset, sustained erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction.*8-10 Most common adverse events are temporary and can include hematuria, dysuria, micturition urgency, pelvic pain, and urge incontinence.8 Rare side effects, including bleeding and infection, may lead to a serious outcome and may require intervention. Individual results may vary. The Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure (using the UroLift System) is recommended for the treatment of BPH in both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines. More than 250,000 men have been treated with the UroLift System in select markets worldwide.† Learn more at www.UroLift.com.
About Teleflex Interventional Urology
The Teleflex Interventional Urology Business Unit is dedicated to developing innovative, minimally invasive, and clinically effective devices that address unmet needs in the field of urology. Our focus is on improving the standard of care for patients with BPH using the UroLift® System, a minimally invasive, permanent implant system that treats symptoms while preserving sexual function.*8-10 Learn more at www.NeoTract.com.
About Teleflex Incorporated
Teleflex is a global provider of medical technologies designed to improve the health and quality of people’s lives. We apply purpose-driven innovation—a relentless pursuit of identifying unmet clinical needs—to benefit patients and healthcare providers. Our portfolio is diverse, with solutions in the fields of vascular and interventional access, surgical, anesthesia, cardiac care, urology, emergency medicine, and respiratory care. Teleflex employees worldwide are united in the understanding that what we do every day makes a difference. For more information, please visit www.Teleflex.com.
Teleflex is the home of Arrow®, Deknatel®, Hudson RCI®, LMA®, Pilling®, Rusch®, UroLift® and Weck®—trusted brands united by a common sense of purpose.
Contacts:
Teleflex Incorporated:
Lawrence Keusch, 610.948.2836
Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategy Development
Media:
Nicole Osmer, 650.454.0504
+Dr. Gregg Eure is a paid consultant of NeoTract | Teleflex Interventional Urology.
*No instances of new, sustained erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction in the L.I.F.T. pivotal study
† Management estimate based on product sales and average units per procedure
References
1. Speakman, BJUI 2014
2. NeoTract US Market Model 2020
3. American Cancer Society Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/detailedguide/prostatecancer- key-statistics
4. Berry, J Urol 1984
5. Tubaro, Drugs Aging 2003
6. AUA BPH Guidelines 2003, 2010, 2018
7. Lusty A, J Urol 2021
8. Roehrborn, J Urology 2013 LIFT Study
9. AUA BPH Guidelines 2003, 2020
10. McVary, J Sex Med 2016
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