The Role of Dutasteride in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Obstruction and Related Conditions
October 2006
in “
Aging Health
”
dutasteride benign prostatic obstruction 5α-reductase inhibitor testosterone dihydrotestosterone androgenic alopecia finasteride prostate volume urinary flow rates hematuria BPE PSA levels Avodart BPO DHT hair loss Propecia prostate size urine flow blood in urine benign prostatic enlargement prostate-specific antigen
TLDR Dutasteride effectively treats benign prostatic obstruction, improves urinary flow, reduces prostate size, and may prevent prostate cancer, but can cause sexual side effects.
The 2006 document highlights dutasteride as an effective treatment for benign prostatic obstruction (BPO), with the potential to improve symptoms, reduce prostate volume, and decrease the risks of acute urinary retention and surgery related to BPO. It is a dual 5α-reductase inhibitor, which lessens testosterone conversion to dihydrotestosterone. In a pooled analysis of three 2-year Phase III clinical trials with 2951 men, dutasteride significantly improved urinary flow rates and reduced prostate volume compared to placebo. The medication also shows promise in the chemoprevention of prostate cancer, treatment of hematuria due to BPE, and androgenic alopecia, potentially being more effective than finasteride for hair loss. Side effects are primarily sexual in nature, with impotence being the most common. The document also notes that PSA levels should be doubled for cancer screening in patients on dutasteride for at least six months. The REDUCE trial was mentioned as an ongoing study to further investigate dutasteride's role in prostate cancer prevention.
