Medication is one of the most common ways to treat men with mild to moderate BPH symptoms. Most men with BPH who begin medication will need to take it indefinitely to relieve symptoms, unless they have a surgical prostate procedure
Some medicines ease the symptoms of BPH by calming the muscles in the bladder and prostate. Others stop prostate growth and shrink the size of the prostate.
Your doctor will help guide you towards the appropriate BPH medication based on the severity of symptoms, overall health and preferences.
Medications include: Alpha Blockers, 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors, and PDE-5 Inhibitors.
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Medication options can include:
Alpha blockers relax the muscles of the prostate and bladder to improve urine flow. They reduce symptoms of BPH and blockage of the urethra. The pills do not reduce the size of the prostate.
If you have high blood pressure and BPH, alpha blockers may be a good option for you because they treat both conditions. Your doctor might recommend taking an alpha blocker and a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor at the same time if either medication alone isn’t effective.
Since alpha blockers affect your blood pressure, they can make you feel tired and cause dizziness, headaches, and low blood pressure. Some alpha blockers might have what’s called a “first-dose effect.” When you start taking an alpha blocker, you might develop pronounced low blood pressure and dizziness, which can make you faint when you rise from a sitting or lying position. As a result, the first dose is often taken at bedtime. Other side effects might include:
On the positive side, alpha blockers might decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol). Alpha blockers can increase or decrease the effects of other medications you take. Before taking an alpha blocker, be sure your doctor knows about other medications you take, such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers or medications for erectile dysfunction.
These pills block the body’s production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which has been considered to be a factor in prostate enlargement. These pills are particularly effective for men with prostates that have grown so large they are imposing on the bladder or urethra.
These drugs may lower the risk that BPH will lead to other problems like bladder damage, and reduce the chances that you will eventually need a surgical procedure to reduce the prostate. Your doctor might recommend taking an alpha blocker and a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor at the same time if either medication alone isn’t effective.
Men taking these meds may experience erectile dysfunction, a lower sex drive, or retrograde ejaculation. Side effects might include:
Some of these side effects may get better as your body gets used to the medicine.
Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, or PDE-5 inhibitors, help relieve symptoms of BPH by smoothing the muscles in the prostate and bladder. These pills are also used to treat erectile dysfunction, and have been found to have other potentially beneficial impacts on men’s health.
Although there exists several different types of PDE-5 inhibitors, Cialis is the only one approved by the FDA to treat BPH. While it is not as common as Alpha Blockers or 5-ARIs, it can be a good option for those who are struggling with both BPH and erectile dysfunction.
The most common side effects of taking a PDE-5 inhibitor include:
Interestingly PDE-5 use is also associated with some positive impacts on overall health. Read more here.
Find your BPH symptom score.
Consult with our world-class medical experts within days of your call.
If you have high blood pressure and BPH, alpha blockers may be a good option for you because they treat both conditions.
Your doctor might recommend taking an alpha blocker and a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor at the same time if either medication alone isn’t effective.
If medication does not seem like the right choice for you, or if your symptoms are more severe, then there are other options available to you. These include minimally invasive surgical therapies (MIST), such as Rezum, iTind, and UroLift, or surgical procedures, such as TURP, GreenLight Laser Therapy, HoLEP, and Aquablation.
Effective BPH symptom relief with minimally invasive and low risk treatments.
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