Finasteride and doxazosin alone or in combination for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Abstract

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an increasingly prevalent condition affecting > 50% of men > 65 years of age. Although it is a condition that is unlikely to be life threatening, it can significantly affect quality of life with distressing lower urinary tract symptoms. Increasingly, medical therapy is being used as first-line treatment for men with moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms. Two main pharmacological classes of drugs are used: 5α-reductase inhibitors and α-1 selective blockers. Both these classes of drugs have shown good tolerability and clinical efficacy. This article examines the potential benefit of the use of combination therapy. In particular, what is the evidence for using doxazosin and finasteride therapy together?

Keywords::

• 5α-reductase inhibitor
• α-blocker
• benign prostatic hyperplasia
• doxazosin
• finasteride

Notes

Q_max: Maximal urinary flow rate.