The severity of symptoms determines the medical treatment selected. Treatment options include watchful waiting (i.e., lifestyle advice) and medications, which either relax the smooth muscles of the prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow (i.e., alpha-blockers, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors) or block the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to prevent further enlargement of the prostate (i.e., 5-alpha reductase inhibitors). If the former treatments fail to improve symptoms, minimally invasive procedures or surgery to reduce prostate size and/or to widen the urethra may be indicated.[1]
What are some of the main medical treatments for BPH?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Medical treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia depend on symptom severity and include watchful waiting, medications like alpha-blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, and, if necessary, minimally invasive procedures or surgery to reduce the prostate size or widen the urethra.