Flomax

Awareness Campaign's Online Quiz Will Help Men Understand Common Urinary Condition

NEW YORK, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Basketball legend Earl "The Pearl" Monroe is the point man for the "FLOMAX One Week Challenge," a national campaign to educate men about benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH, a common urinary condition that affects millions of men, is associated with a range of bothersome urinary symptoms -- including going often, urgency, straining and waking up at night to go -- that frequently impact the quality of life of men over 50.

With the launch of the BPH awareness campaign at Madison Square Garden, Monroe is encouraging men age 50 and older to go to http://www.oneweekchallenge.com/ and complete a simple quiz to evaluate the severity of any unwanted urinary symptoms and to determine whether they should consult a doctor about diagnosis and treatment for BPH.

BPH symptoms can usually be easily managed with treatment. Sometimes improvement of BPH symptoms can be seen in as little as one week. Because these symptoms can also be caused by more serious conditions, such as prostate cancer, it's important to see a doctor to obtain a proper diagnosis.

"When I first started to experience BPH symptoms, I delayed going to the doctor even though I was getting up several times a night to go to the bathroom," explains basketball Hall of Famer Earl Monroe. "I'm challenging men with urinary symptoms to go online to http://www.oneweekchallenge.com/ to take a simple quiz to find out if they might have BPH. Either way, they should see a doctor to find out what's causing their symptoms like I did."

The former New York Knicks star kicked off the "FLOMAX One Week Challenge" campaign at Madison Square Garden where the one-on-one virtuoso participated in an on-court promotion with a randomly selected fan.

A dazzling ball handler and prolific scorer, Monroe has been honored as one of the 50 greatest players in the history of pro basketball. He was an integral part of the New York Knicks' 1973 championship team and a four-time All-Star. Now an entrepreneur and restaurant owner, Monroe lives in New York.

The "FLOMAX One Week Challenge" campaign is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

About Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in aging men caused by the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. According to the American Urological Association (AUA), nearly 50 percent of men older than 50 have BPH. As the prostate enlarges, it may compress the urethra. This obstruction of the urethra can lead to a gradual impairment of normal bladder function. Over time, the bladder may not empty properly due to urethral obstruction caused by the prostate. Urinary symptoms associated with BPH include going often, urgency, straining, stopping and starting, incomplete emptying, weak stream and waking up at night to go.

About Flomax(R) (tamsulosin hydrochloride)

Co-marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc., FLOMAX is the #1 prescribed medication indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH in the United States. FLOMAX is generally well tolerated, has minimal effect on blood pressure and can be started at a therapeutically effective dose, which does not require titration.

FLOMAX is generally well tolerated. In clinical studies, the most common side effects in men with BPH who were treated with FLOMAX were a decrease in semen, runny nose and dizziness. A decrease in blood pressure upon standing and vertigo also occurred more often than in those treated with placebo, or sugar pill. As with other drugs of this type, there is a risk of fainting. Men beginning treatment with FLOMAX should avoid situations where injury could result should this occur.

For more Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information about FLOMAX capsules please visit http://www.flomax-bph.com/.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation (Ridgefield, CT) and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 144 affiliates in 45 countries and nearly 36,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

In 2004, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of US $10.2 billion (8.2 billion euro) while spending nearly one fifth of net sales in its largest business segment, Prescription Medicines, on research and development.

For more information, please visit http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com/.

CONTACT: Kate O'Connor, Manager, Communications & Public Relations of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-203-791-6250, koconno4@rdg.boehringer-ingelheim.com; or Nicole Cheeks of GCI Healthcare, +1-212-537-8170, Fax: +1-212-537-8250, ncheeks@gcigroup.com, for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Web site: http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com/ http://www.oneweekchallenge.com/ http://www.flomax-bph.com/

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