Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2025
Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Awareness and Indications of 5-α-Reductase Inhibitors for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in the Primary Care Setting
Daniel S Alicea1, Mustufa Babar1, Justin Loloi2
1From the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
Objective:
The objective of the study was to investigate primary care physicians' (PCPs') level of awareness and indications for urology referral in patients treated with 5-α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs).
Methods:
An anonymous 14-question survey was e-mailed to PCPs in the specialties of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine at an academic institution. Questions focused on residency graduation year, patient volume, medical practice characteristics, knowledge of 5-ARIs and their effects on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics, role of 5-ARIs in prostate cancer (PC) prevention, and indications for prostate biopsy referral.
Results:
In total, 221 PCPs were e-mailed, 85 of whom responded (38.5% response rate). Approximately 39% of the PCPs surveyed were not aware of the suppressive effects of 5-ARIs on PSA, 63.5% were not sure or incorrectly answered when asked about calculating the corrected PSA of a patient who is taking 5-ARIs, 77.6% were not sure or would not refer for a prostate biopsy a patient who is taking 5-ARIs but has an elevated corrected PSA that needs to be calculated, 63.5% were not sure or believed that 5-ARIs may decrease the risk of high-grade PC, and 49.4% were not sure or believed that 5-ARIs are approved for the prevention of PC. There were no differences in responses between PCPs who were Family Medicine physicians and internists (P > 0.05 for all).
Conclusions:
There is a general lack of awareness among PCPs about 5-ARIs and indications for biopsy referral in patients taking 5-ARIs. An educational opportunity exists to optimize usage of 5-ARIs and avoid delaying PC detection.
More Related Videos
05:32Povidone Iodine Rectal Preparation at Time of Prostate Needle Biopsy is a Simple and Reproducible Means to Reduce Risk of Procedural Infection
Published on: September 21, 2015
05:28Enucleation of the Prostate for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Using a 980 nm Diode Laser
Published on: May 5, 2020
Related Concept Videos
01:20Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....
01:28Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
Among the PDE5 inhibitors, sildenafil (Revatio) stands out as a competitive and selective inhibitor. It operates by elevating cellular levels of cGMP and augmenting signaling through the cGMP-PKG pathway, promoting vasodilation. Upon oral...
01:22Adrenergic Antagonists: Pharmacological Actions of ɑ-Receptor Blockers
α1-blockers: These drugs inhibit α1-adrenoceptors on smooth muscle cells, resulting in vasodilation. This vasodilation lowers blood pressure, making α1-blockers valuable in treating hypertension. Additionally,...
01:23Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists
These agonists bind to the IPR receptor situated on the plasma membrane of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This binding triggers a cascade of reactions known as the GS-AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. This pathway results in the relaxation of smooth muscle...
01:30Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
01:26Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...