Image via WikipediaOn Oct. 6th, 2011; The U.S. FDA has approved tadalafil to treat the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); and for BPH and erectile dysfunction (ED); if co-exist.
Image via WikipediaBPH is a condition in male, where the prostate gland becomes enlarged surrounding the urethra causing obstruction to the free flow of urine. Symptoms may include sudden urge to urinate (Urgency), difficulty in starting urination (Hesitancy), a weak urine stream and more frequent urination especially at night.In two clinical trials, men with BPH who took 5 milligrams of tadalafil once daily experienced a statistically significant improvement in their symptoms of BPH compared to men who were treated with placebo.
In a third study, men who were suffering from both erectile dysfunction (ED) and BPH; and took 5 mg of this drug once daily experienced improvement in symptoms of both the BPH and ED compared to the men who were treated with placebo.
Tadalafil, sildenafil, and vardenafil all act by inhibiting the phophodiestarage (PDE)5 enzyme that delays degradation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which regulates blood flow in the penis; more blood goes to penile musculature and less returns, making it turgid; and helps patients of erectile dysfunction.
Tadalafil inhibits PDE11 more than sildenafil or vardenafil. PDE11 is expressed in skeletal muscle, the prostate, the liver, the kidney, the pituitary gland and the testes. Possibly this side effect helps in relaxation of prostatic smooth muscle helping in better urinary stream in BPH.
Tadalafil should not be used in patients taking nitrates, for example nitroglycerin, because the combination can cause an unsafe decrease in blood pressure. Also, the use of tadalafil in combination with alpha blockers for the treatment of BPH is not recommended because the combination has not been adequately studied for the treatment of BPH, and there is a risk of lowering blood pressure.
The FDA had earlier approved eight other drugs to treat symptoms of BPH: finasteride, dutasteride, dutasteride plus tamsulosin, and the alpha blockers: terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin, alfuzosin and silodosin.
Now, tadalafil will be another armor with the doctors to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.
