benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

DEFINITION of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a histological diagnosis characterized by the proliferation of epithelial and stromal cells in the periurethral and transition zones of the prostate. As the gland enlarges, it compresses the prostatic urethra, leading to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as frequency, urgency, nocturia, and a weak urinary stream. While not a precursor to prostate cancer, it affects nearly 90% of men by their eighties and is primarily driven by hormonal changes involving dihydrotestosterone (DHT) during the aging process.

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ETYMOLOGY of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

latin The term is derived from three distinct linguistic roots that describe its nature and location:

• benign: From the Latin benignus, meaning “kind” or “favorable,” used in medicine to indicate a condition that is not malignant or cancerous.​
• Prostatic: Derived from the Greek prostatēs, meaning “one who stands before” (referring to the gland’s position in front of the bladder), combined with the suffix -ic meaning “relating to”.​
• hyperplasia: Formed from the Greek hyper- (“over” or “excessive”) and -plasis (“formation” or “molding”), referring specifically to an increase in the number of cells. gene-::genə-, also gen- Proto-Indo-European root meaning “give birth, beget,” with derivatives referring to procreation and familial and tribal groups.

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Related Terms and Coding

For professional medical coding, the following terms and ICD-10-CM classifications are essential for accurate documentation:

Term/Code	Description
N40.0	benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) without lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)
N40.1	benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with lower urinary tract symptoms
LUTS	Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, the clinical manifestation of BPH
DHT	Dihydrotestosterone, the primary androgen responsible for prostate growth
TURP	Transurethral resection of the Prostate, a common surgical treatment for BPH
PSA	Prostate-Specific Antigen, a blood test used to screen for prostate issues

• hypertrophy: Often used interchangeably with hyperplasia, but technically refers to an increase in cell size rather than cell number.

• Prostatism: An older clinical term used to describe the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate.

• Detrusor Overactivity: A condition where the bladder muscle contracts involuntarily, often secondary to chronic BPH obstruction.

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DERIVATIONS of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

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Query functionality

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Med roots Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms