Prostate Health
Alpha blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for benign prostatic hyperplasia make up most of this range, including Flomax, Finpecia, Avodart and Jalyn, alongside Xtandi, a separate prostate cancer medicine.
Key points
- BPH can be managed with monitoring, medicines or procedures, depending on how much the symptoms affect daily life.
- Alpha blockers relax muscle around the bladder neck and prostate, while 5-alpha reductase inhibitors work by shrinking the prostate over time.
- Urinary symptoms need proper assessment, since they do not point to one single prostate condition.
- Xtandi stands apart from the other five: it treats prostate cancer, not benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Alpha blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for BPH
Dutasteride and finasteride are the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors here, found in Avodart and Finpecia; each works by shrinking the prostate over time. Tamsulosin and alfuzosin are the alpha blockers, found in Flomax and Uroxatral; each relaxes muscle to ease urine flow. Jalyn combines dutasteride with tamsulosin in one capsule, joining both mechanisms. Avodart, Flomax, Finpecia, Uroxatral and Jalyn are all listed for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Xtandi: a separate prostate cancer medicine
Xtandi contains enzalutamide, an androgen synthesis inhibitor listed for prostate cancer, not benign prostatic hyperplasia. It sits in this range because it affects the prostate, but it works on a different disease with its own treatment pathway from the five BPH medicines above.