The Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treated with 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors

August 2021 in “ Clinical Epidemiology ”

Olulade Ayodele, Howard Cabral, David D. McManus, Susan S. Jick

5-alpha reductase inhibitors benign prostatic hyperplasia alpha-blockers 5ARIs BPH AB

TLDR Men using 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for prostate issues may have a slightly higher risk of blood clots.

The study examined the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in 91,115 men aged 40–79 with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treated with 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5ARIs) compared to those using alpha-blockers (ABs) only. It found a slightly elevated risk of VTE in users of 5ARIs, particularly in those with high cumulative doses, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.29 for individuals with 50 or more prescriptions. The study suggested that excessive inhibition of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) might contribute to this increased risk and emphasized the need for further research to clarify the potential VTE risk associated with 5ARI use.

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