5α-Reductase Inhibitors Increase Acute Coronary Syndrome Risk in Patients with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

The study analyzed data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance system and found that patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) who were treated with both finasteride and dutasteride had a 3.47 times higher risk of developing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) compared to those not treated with 5α-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs). The study included 1,843 ACS cases and 7,330 controls, all with a mean age of 73 years. No significant increase in ACS risk was observed in patients treated with only one of the medications. The findings suggest a potential risk associated with the combined use of finasteride and dutasteride, but the study acknowledges limitations such as missing data on lifestyle factors and the possibility of bias from unmeasured variables. Further research with larger sample sizes and more comprehensive data is recommended to confirm these results.