[Finasteride in prolonged therapy of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia]

The efficiency of finasteride alone and in combination with alpha 1-adrenoblocker tamsulasine in long (2-4 years) treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia is analyzed, based on published reports and the author's data. Specific features of long finasteride therapy are discussed: decrease in the level of prostatic specific antigen, no effect in case of concomitant infectious chronic prostatitis, more stable result in combination with tamsulasine, higher efficiency of finasteride after a previous course of therapy for prostatitis. Indications for finasteride therapy are defied. The results of finasteride therapy directly correlate with the size of the prostate in 78% patients.