Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. A pharmacoeconomic perspective

Men with moderate symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are the best candidates for medical treatment, while surgery is usually indicated for patients with severe symptoms. Men with mild symptoms do not usually need treatment, but they might be re-evaluated annually if desirable. Finasteride, which produces selective hormonal deprivation, is now established as a well tolerated drug for the long term medical therapy of BPH. Recent studies suggest that finasteride is most effective in men with large prostates (> 40 ml), and the drug should probably be reserved for these patients. alpha-Blockers work in men with small or large prostates, and their rapid onset of action facilitates the identification of responders. alpha-Blockers are more effective than finasteride during the first year of treatment, but only finasteride induces regression of the prostate and offers increased efficacy over time. Even if drug therapy reduces the need for prostate surgery, the total economic cost of BPH treatment is likely to rise because of the increasing application of medical treatment. The magnitude of this increase depends largely on what percentage of the male population embark on long term therapy, at what age treatment is started, and how successful it is. At present, the answers to these questions are largely unknown. The personal economic expenses for men who begin long term medical therapy will probably be an important factor in deciding how common drug treatment for BPH will become in the future. For many men, the main benefit of drug treatment will be the relief of urinary symptoms, but whether this improvement is substantial enough to improve their overall quality of life has not yet been clearly demonstrated in controlled studies.