The essentials

BPH means benign prostatic hyperplasia: a prostate that has grown with age. It is not cancer. Do not mix it up with HBP, which in English means high blood pressure.

What does BPH mean in medical terms?

BPH = benign prostatic hyperplasia, a non-cancerous growth of the prostate, the gland that wraps around the urine tube below the bladder[1]. "Benign" means not cancer, and BPH does not raise the risk of prostate cancer[2]. It affects about 29 to 33% of men aged 65 and older[1]. Its usual signs, a weak stream and frequent urination, are called lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Where will you see BPH on your medical records?

Fictitious example of a visit summary (United States format)
SectionEntryPlain meaning
Problem listBPH with LUTSEnlarged prostate causing urinary symptoms
Lab orderPSA, total. Indication: BPH, on finasterideWhy the test is done, and a drug that lowers PSA
  1. BPH in a problem list is not a cancer result. Finasteride and dutasteride, two BPH drugs, lower PSA, so the number is read differently[3].

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Which abbreviations get confused with BPH?

  • HBP: in English, HBP means high blood pressure. In French, Spanish and Romanian, HBP is the local short form of BPH: a translated record can swap the two.
  • BPH vs prostate cancer: both can raise PSA and cause similar symptoms[3]; see prostate cancer signs and testing.
  • BPE, BPO, BOO: enlargement, prostate obstruction and bladder outlet obstruction[4][5]: related, not identical.
  • BPD: bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a newborn lung disease[6], or borderline personality disorder.

Safety experts advise spelling out any abbreviation that could be misread[7]. If unsure, ask.

What is BPH called in other languages?

  • French: HBP (hypertrophie bénigne de la prostate), or adénome de la prostate
  • Spanish: HBP; Portuguese (Brazil): HPB
  • Italian: IPB (ipertrofia prostatica benigna)
  • German, Dutch: BPH
  • Romanian: HBP, or adenom de prostată
  • Chinese: 良性前列腺增生; Arabic: تضخم البروستاتا الحميد

Which tests and conditions are linked to BPH?

To confirm BPH, doctors use a prostate exam, a PSA blood test, urinalysis, sometimes a urine flow test or creatinine[1][8]. Look-alike conditions: prostatitis and urinary tract infection; possible complications: blood in the urine and bladder stones[1]. Being unable to urinate is an emergency[1].

References

  1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia). niddk.nih.gov (accessed November 9, 2026)
  2. MedlinePlus. Enlarged prostate (BPH). National Library of Medicine. medlineplus.gov (accessed November 9, 2026)
  3. National Cancer Institute. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. cancer.gov (accessed November 9, 2026)
  4. European Association of Urology. EAU guidelines on the management of non-neurogenic male LUTS. 2026. uroweb.org (accessed November 9, 2026)
  5. Abrams P, Cardozo L, Fall M, et al. The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the standardisation sub-committee of the International Continence Society. Neurourol Urodyn. 2002;21(2):167-178. doi:10.1002/nau.10052 (accessed November 9, 2026)
  6. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia. nhlbi.nih.gov (accessed November 9, 2026)
  7. Institute for Safe Medication Practices. List of error-prone abbreviations. ecri.org (accessed November 9, 2026)
  8. Sandhu JS, Bixler BR, Dahm P, et al. Management of lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): AUA guideline amendment 2023. J Urol. 2024;211(1):11-19. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000003698 (accessed November 9, 2026)

General information only; it does not replace your doctor's advice.