Health and Prostate

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refers to a complex of symptoms that can include difficult, painful or frequent urination, interrupted stream, hesitancy in starting to urinate and a feeling of incomplete emptying after urination. These symptoms are caused by pressure exerted on the urethra as the prostate gland grows larger with age. Unless the urethra is so obstructed that urine cannot pass through, the condition is not dangerous, but it affects most men at some point in their advanced years and can significantly impair well-being. The treatment of BPH has most commonly involved either surgery to cut out part of the prostate and thereby ease the pressure on the urethra, or watchful waiting, in which the patient is monitored closely but not actively treated. A number of drug therapies have recently been added to the treatment arsenal against benign prostatic hyperplasia. Finasteride works by inhibiting the production of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. In this way it prevents further prostatic growth and can even reduce the volume of the prostate Read more [...]