[Medical therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia]

The aim of treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia is relieving lower urinary tract symptoms, desreasing bladder outlet obstruction, improving bladder emptying, ameliorating detrusor instability, reversing renal insufficiency, and preventing future episodes of gross hematuria, urinary tract infection and urinary retention. A potent role of medical therapy is to prevent the development and/or progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Medical therapies investigated for benign prostatic hyperplasia include plant extracts, alpha adrenergic blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. Clinical observations suggest that the efficacy of combination therapy could be superior to that of individual monotherapies.