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Updated: Jul 8, 2026
05:25
Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Does anticholinergic medication have a role in treating men with overactive bladder and benign prostatic hyperplasia?
Kyu-Sung Lee1, Hye Won Lee, Deok Hyun Han
1Department of Urology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, South Korea. ks63.lee@samsung.com
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg'S Archives of Pharmacology
|January 4, 2008
Summary
Anticholinergic drugs, alone or combined with alpha-blockers, effectively treat men with lower urinary tract symptoms and overactive bladder. Combination therapy improves symptoms without increasing acute urinary retention risk.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men are often associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or benign prostatic enlargement (BPE).
- Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome frequently coexists with these conditions, complicating treatment.
- Anticholinergic drugs and alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists are common therapeutic options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence on anticholinergic drugs for male LUTS due to BPH/BPE/benign prostatic obstruction (BPO).
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of anticholinergic monotherapy and combination therapy with alpha-blockers.
- To assess the impact on OAB symptoms and acute urinary retention (AUR).
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of available evidence.
- Analysis of studies focusing on men with BPO and OAB.
- Emphasis on safety and efficacy data, particularly regarding AUR.
Main Results:
- Anticholinergic agents demonstrate safety and efficacy in treating men with BPO.
- Combination therapy with anticholinergics and alpha-blockers effectively improves OAB symptoms.
- This combination therapy does not significantly increase the incidence of acute urinary retention.
Conclusions:
- Anticholinergic drugs are a viable treatment option for men with BPO and OAB.
- Combination therapy offers an effective strategy for managing concomitant LUTS and OAB.
- The combination approach is associated with a low risk of acute urinary retention.
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