What type of medication is better for the treatment of symptoms of an enlarged prostate?

This study looked at using a combination of alpha blockers (AB) and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5I) to treat lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms. This study concluded that combination therapy of these drugs could improve symptoms.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. An enlarged prostate can affect bladder function and have a negative impact on quality of life. Treatments for BPH may include medication or surgery. Medications for BPH often result in many side effects while surgery can lead to complications.

AB and PDE5I both relax the muscles in the prostate and the bladder neck, improving urine flow and decreasing bladder blockage. They can be used to treat BPH or LUTS separately or together, in a combination therapy.

Databases were searched for suitable studies and statistical analyses were performed. Eleven studies were analyzed, making a total of 855 patients. Patients were studied based on prostate size, urine flow and erectile function. Patients in the studies were given either AB alone or AB and PDE5I. The duration treatment ranged from 1-3 months in the different studies.

Patients who received both AB and PDE5I showed bigger improvements in prostate size, urine flow and erectile function than patients who only took AB. This improvement depended on ethnicity, severity of symptoms and how long the patients had been taking the medication.

Common side effects included dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting. No serious side effects were observed.

This study concluded that the combination AB and PDE5I therapy showed bigger improvements in prostate size, urine flow and erectile function than AB treatment alone.

The authors note that the type of AB and the dose taken differed between the study groups. They also note that the results of the study may be influenced by the patient’s ethnicities, symptoms and duration of treatment. These factors may affect the study’s overall results.

If you are interested in learning more about combination AB and PDE5I treatment for BPH or LUTS, contact your doctor.