Finasteride: Ten Years of Clinical Use. Systematic Literature Review

The systematic review of literature over ten years of clinical use of Finasteride for treating Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing symptoms in patients with prostates larger than 40 ml and/or PSA levels greater than 1.4 ng/ml. The review included 137 references, with 36 meeting inclusion criteria, categorized by evidence levels: 3 at level I, 12 at level II, 6 at level III, and 10 at level IV. Finasteride was shown to reduce prostate volume, thereby decreasing the risk of acute urine retention and the need for surgery, with minimal adverse effects and a significant improvement in quality of life. The study recommended Finasteride for clinical use with a grade A recommendation.