Please note: This publication was rescinded on 8 March 2006
Synopsis
The NHMRC guidelines Is it my prostate Doc? - A guide for general practitioners is derived from Clinical Practice Guidelines : The Management of Uncomplicated Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men, and is a continuation of a series of guidelines being developed in Australia.
The primary objective of these and similar guidelines is to achieve better health outcomes by helping general practitioners and health professionals to improve their practice, and by better informing consumers about treatment options.
The guidelines draw on an evidence-based approach to best practice. They follow the methodology for developing guidelines recommended in another NHMRC Publication Guidelines for the development and implementation of clinical practice guidelines.
The NHMRC has undertaken a systematic review of the evidence which underpins the management of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), often called 'prostatism' or 'benign prostatic hyperplasia' (BPH). These symptoms are common. Unfortunately, their existence leads many men to believe that they have prostate cancer. This is rarely the case.
The recommendations in this publication may contradict conventional wisdom, and may indicate a change in you clinical approach to LUTS. They are not, however, meant to be prescriptive, rather, they should serve as a guide. Your clinical judgement in individual patients remains paramount.
