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Heat versus drugs in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia
Author(s) -
Djavan B.,
Seitz C.,
Marberger M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1046/j.1464-410x.2003.03034.x
Subject(s) - medicine , tolerability , finasteride , urology , urinary retention , hyperplasia , prostate , adverse effect , cancer
SUMMARY The improvement in symptoms and voiding function is greater with transurethral microwave thermotherapy than with drug therapy, and the associated morbidity is low. Transient urinary retention necessitating catheterization is of short duration after targeted microwave thermotherapy. The short‐term effect of microwave thermotherapy can be improved by neoadjuvant and adjuvant α‐blockade. Microwave treatment offers greater versatility than drug therapy, allowing patients with severe baseline symptoms and small prostates to be treated successfully. Medical management improves symptoms to a more modest extent than does microwave treatment. Finasteride gives comparatively small symptom and flow rate improvements and requires several months for the maximum responses. With α‐blockers the onset of action is fast and side‐effects reversible, although they limit their utility. Finasteride or α‐blockers must be continued indefinitely to maintain improvements in patients with BPH, but they have a favourable safety and tolerability profile.