Benign prostatic hyperplasia progression and its impact on treatment

Management of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia should reduce the lifetime risk of acute urinary retention and the need for benign prostatic hyperplasia-related surgery. A number of recent studies demonstrate that 5alpha-reductase inhibitors are unique in providing a long-term combination of improvements in symptoms and flow, and reductions in the risks of acute urinary retention and surgical intervention.

The 5alpha-reductase inhibitor finasteride was shown to reduce the risk of retention and surgery in men with large prostate volumes and/or high PSA. Recent studies have examined the role of adding an alpha1-blocker to 5alpha-reductase inhibitor in short- or long-term combination. The Medical Therapy of Prostatic Symptoms study randomised 3,047 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia to treatment with a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (finasteride), an alpha1 blocker (doxazosin), a combination of both, or placebo. Only treatment arms containing 5alpha-reductase inhibitor therapy were associated with longer-term significant reductions in the risk of acute urinary retention and invasive therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Three randomised, two-year, placebo-controlled studies have assessed the clinical relevance of the >93% DHT suppression provided by dutasteride. Dutasteride was also associated with a reduction in the risk of acute urinary retention of 57%, and a reduction of 48% in the risk of surgical intervention compared with placebo after 2 years.

Short-term combination of 5alpha-reductase inhibitor and alpha-blockade are optimal in providing symptomatic improvement among patients who require symptom relief, while enabling the initiation of 5alpha-reductase inhibitor therapy to reduce the risk of subsequent acute urinary retention or benign prostatic hyperplasia-related surgery in men who are at greater risk of disease progression.