Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part B (2024)

Aim: To assess the prescription practices and preferences of clinicians regarding the use of silodosin and combination therapies for managing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in routine clinical settings in India.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among clinicians and used a 23-item multiple-response questionnaire. The survey explored various aspects of BPH management, including diagnostic practices, patient demographics, treatment preferences, combination therapy approaches, acute urinary retention management, lifestyle modifications, medication adherence factors, common symptoms and comorbidities, medication side effects, and patient education methods.

Results: The study involved 60 clinicians, with the majority (48.33%) diagnosing between 11 and 20 patients with BPH per week. In the management of BPH, most clinicians preferred using silodosin either in combination therapy (78%) or as a standalone treatment (78%), and as an alpha-blocker commonly prescribed for ureteric stones (62%) and nocturia (88%). A significant proportion of the clinicians (85%) reported faster action as the most common reason to prescribe silodosin. The majority of clinicians (63%) preferred silodosin as the drug of choice in patients with trials without the catheter. More than half of the respondents (55%) reported that 25-50% of the patients adhere to silodosin therapy in a year. According to 38% and 37% of clinicians, 21-30% and 11-20% of patients, respectively, switch from tamsulosin to silodosin when they do not experience symptomatic relief with tamsulosin.

Conclusion: The survey underscores clinicians' preference for silodosin in managing BPH and related urological conditions. The results indicate that its rapid onset of action, effectiveness across different clinical contexts, and potential as an alternative to other alpha-blockers contribute significantly to its wider adoption.