52 citations
,
January 2005 in “PubMed” This study concluded that alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists are more effective than finasteride in the short term for reducing symptoms of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
49 citations
,
August 2009 in “British Journal of Cancer” This study observed that finasteride use among men with benign prostatic hyperplasia was associated with a decreased incidence of low-grade prostate cancer but not high-grade tumors.
11 citations
,
August 2014 in “Current Urology Reports” This review discusses the known effects of medications for benign prostatic hyperplasia on sexual function and mechanisms of dysfunction but reports no new clinical results.
9 citations
,
July 2003 in “International Journal of Clinical Practice” This study found no significant difference between alpha-blockers and finasteride in contributing to erectile dysfunction among men with other risk factors, with age and other underlying conditions being stronger influences.
8 citations
,
January 2011 in “Korean Journal of Andrology” This study found that combining 4 mg doxazosin with 0.2 mg tamsulosin improved urinary symptoms with fewer vasodilatory side effects compared to a higher dose of doxazosin in hypertensive males with LUTS.
2 citations
,
April 2024 in “Urology Annals” Taking dutasteride every other day works as well as daily and better preserves sexual function.
2 citations
,
February 2023 in “Urology” This study found that IsoPSA's ability to detect both any prostate cancer and clinically actionable prostate cancer remains unaffected by medications like 5-ARIs and α-blockers, which are commonly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms.
December 2025 in “International Neurourology Journal” This study examined the dementia risk in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia using alpha-blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, finding no significant association between these medications and increased dementia risk compared to no treatment, but noted higher risk probabilities for certain 5ARIs.
January 2019 in “Urology Practice” This study observed that urologists are more likely than primary care physicians to prescribe a variety of alpha blockers and newer medications, indicating a broader awareness of treatment options for benign prostate enlargement.
September 2003 in “Reactions Weekly” 6 citations
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July 2021 in “Uro” This review discusses sexual dysfunction as a potential side effect of drugs for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and reports no new clinical results; it emphasizes the need for methodologically robust studies.
6 citations
,
December 2016 in “Journal of Dermatology” The source does not provide an abstract for this letter to the editor, so specific results regarding the long-term efficacy and safety of dutasteride for male androgenetic alopecia are not reported.
November 2003 in “PubMed” 
15 citations
,
July 2016 in “Urologic Clinics of North America” This study found that combining 5-alpha reductase inhibitors with alpha-blockers provided the best symptomatic relief and reduced the risk of clinical progression for BPH, while PDE5 inhibitors could offset sexual side effects.
15 citations
,
November 2015 in “Pharmacopsychiatry” This review discusses sexual dysfunction as a side effect of α-blockers and 5-ARIs for BPH/LUTS, highlighting methodological flaws in existing studies and the need for more rigorous research.
14 citations
,
January 2020 in “Archivio Italiano di Urologia e Andrologia” This review found that finasteride monotherapy for managing LUTS/BPH significantly reduced prostate volume and improved symptoms, with sexual dysfunctions reported as notable side effects compared to placebo, but emphasizes the need for more comprehensive studies.
6 citations
,
August 2021 in “Clinical Epidemiology” Men using 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for prostate issues may have a slightly higher risk of blood clots.
3 citations
,
March 2013 in “International Journal of Clinical Practice” Combination therapy for 9+ months maintains symptom improvements after stopping alpha-blockers or finasteride.
1 citations
,
April 2019 in “Clinical Breast Cancer” This study found that in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors significantly increased the risk of gynecomastia and breast tenderness compared to placebo or alpha-blockers.
February 2026 in “Postgraduate Medicine” This meta-analysis reports that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are associated with a 31% increased risk of depression, with varying outcomes depending on the comparator group, highlighting significant heterogeneity across studies.
August 2025 in “medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” This study reports that using 5-alpha reductase inhibitors is associated with a 31% increased risk of depression, highlighting that the choice of comparator group significantly affects study results.
April 2017 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” This Cochrane review reports that 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may slightly reduce urological symptoms and acute urinary retention risk compared to placebo, with a possible small reduction in surgical intervention need compared to alpha blockers.
October 2008 in “Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature” This study found that use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for benign prostatic hyperplasia was not associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in men.
This study identified distinct and significant adverse event patterns across different drug classes used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, confirming known risks and suggesting novel safety signals for further investigation.
This study analyzed the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and found distinct safety signals and adverse event patterns among α1-blockers, 5α-reductase inhibitors, and tadalafil used in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, emphasizing known risks and identifying potential new ones that require further study.
March 2014 in “Annals of Internal Medicine” This review found that adding α1-blockers to 5α-reductase inhibitors may improve lower urinary tract symptoms in men with non-neurogenic conditions, based on existing evidence.
March 2026 in “The Aging Male” This retrospective pharmacovigilance study reviewed adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025 for drugs treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, identifying distinct safety signals for α1-blockers, 5ARIs, and PDE5I, including some potential new adverse events that require further investigation.
April 2026 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Oral 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors for hair loss don't increase heart risk.
110 citations
,
October 2019 in “Translational Andrology and Urology” This review discusses current and emerging treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia and emphasizes the need for further research to optimize treatment selection, but reports no new clinical results.
77 citations
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June 2015 in “Nature Reviews Urology” This article reviews the effects of various medications on male fertility, noting that while commonly used drugs can mostly have reversible impacts, conclusive human evidence remains limited.