NSAIDs linked to risk of urinary retention

According to a report in Harvard Men's Health Watch, a newsletter published by the USA's Harvard Medical School, men suffering from slow urine flow as a result of benign prostatic hyperplasia should avoid using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as new research suggest that they can exacerbate the condition. The article uses products like ibuprofen and naproxen, in addition to certain over-the-counter cold and allergy remedies, as examples of agents likely to worsen BHP.

The report is based on work carried out in the Netherlands, which found that the risk of acute urinary retention was around twice as high in men taking NSAIDs as in those not taking them. The team concluded that the drug's interaction with the bladder was likely to be a key factor in its effect on the condition.

The findings appear to contradict earlier US research, which suggested that long-term NSAID use reduced the risk of developing such symptoms. However, the two programs focused on differing stages of BPH. The US study specifically examined the onset of symptoms, concluding that NSAIDs delay the development of the condition by reducing inflammation. In contrast, the Dutch team found that men with established BPH and acute urinary retention that had recently begun using NSAIDs were more likely to experience worsening symptoms.