Naftopidil in the treatment of nocturia: morning vs. evening dosing

This study investigated the effects of naftopidil on lower urinary tract symptoms in men, comparing morning and evening doses. The study concluded that taking naftopidil in the evening improved urinary tract symptoms more than morning dosing.
 

Nocturia refers to an increased urge to urinate at night. Nocturia can be treated by making lifestyle changes and also by taking medication. Nocturia is associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including urinary frequency, urgency, and slow urine stream. In male patients these symptoms are often due to a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Drugs that block the alpha-adrenoreceptor can treat these symptoms. This type of treatment causes the bladder and prostate muscles to relax relieving any blockages. As a result, urinary tract symptoms improve. Naftopidil is an alpha-adrenoreceptor blocker. It is unclear whether the time of dosing with naftopidil has an impact on LUTS. 

This study investigated if morning or evening dosing with naftopidil improved LUTS in men with BPH.

This study included 143 patients with BPH. Patients were randomly assigned to take naftopidil (75 mg) once in the morning or the evening. This continued for 12 weeks. Nocturia and quality-of-life were evaluated in all patients at the beginning and end of the study.

All patients showed an improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms after 12 weeks of naftopidil. Patients who took naftopidil in the evening had a reduction in the frequency of nocturia compared to patients who took the drug in the morning. The evening group also had higher scores in quality-of-life questionnaires compared to the morning group.
 

The authors concluded that taking naftopidil in the evening improved lower urinary tract symptoms more than morning dosing, nocturia especially.