title: Analysis of prescriptions of alpha-blockers and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors from the urology department and other departments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analyzed the prescriptions of alpha-blockers and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) in the urology department as well as in other departments of the general hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the frequency of prescription of alpha-blockers and PDE5Is from 3 general hospitals from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009. For alpha-blockers, data were collected from patients to whom alpha-blockers were prescribed from among patients recorded as having benign prostatic hyperplasia according to the 5th Korean Standard Classification of Diseases. For PDE5Is, data were collected from patients to whom PDE5Is were prescribed by the urology department and by other departments. Alpha-blockers were classified into tamsulosin, alfuzosin, doxazosin, and terazosin, whereas PDE5Is were classified into sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, udenafil, and mirodenafil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alpha-blockers were prescribed to 11,436 patients in total over 3 years, and the total frequency of prescriptions was 68,565. Among other departments, the nephrology department had the highest frequency of prescription of 3,225 (4.7%), followed by the cardiology (3,101, 4.5%), neurology (2,576, 3.8%), endocrinology (2,400, 3.5%), pulmonology (1,102, 1.6%), and family medicine (915, 1.3%) departments in order. PDE5Is were prescribed to 2,854 patients in total over 3 years, and the total frequency of prescriptions was 10,558. The prescription frequency from the urology department was 4,900 (46.4%). Among other departments, the endocrinology department showed the highest prescription frequency of 3,488 (33.0%), followed by the neurology (542, 5.1%), cardiology (467, 4.4%), and family medicine (407, 3.9%) departments in order.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high percentage of prescriptions of alpha-blockers and PDE5Is were from other departments. For more specialized medical care by urologists is required in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Hyuk
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Joo Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hee Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jeong Man
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hong Sang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Yong Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tag Keun
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hong Yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hae Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee