Nocturia in Men: Is the Prostate Really to Blame?

Nocturia is an extremely common accepted consequence of aging and generally viewed as a quality-of-life issue. However, nocturia can be an indicator of disease with significant health-related consequences including daytime functional disturbances, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, mood disturbances, reduced work productivity, increased falls, increased fractures, and increased mortality. In men, nocturia is frequently attributed to prostatic hyperplasia, but this is only one of many causes, requiring clinicians to have widespread knowledge to treat patients appropriately to improve their overall health. This article will review the myriad of etiologies that cause nocturia and discuss work-up and treatment strategies.