Medications for enlarged prostate linked to heart failure risk
Widely used medications for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - also known as enlarged prostate - may be associated with a small, but significant increase in the probability of developing heart failure, suggests a study in The Journal of Urology®, Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
The risk is highest in men taking a type of BPH medication called alpha-blockers (ABs), rather than a different type called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), according to the new research by D. Robert Siemens, MD, and colleagues of Queen's University, Kingston, Ont., Canada. "While no one should stop taking their BPH medications based on these results, our study contributes new evidence for understanding the complex interaction of factors affecting heart disease risk in men with BPH," Dr. Siemens comments.
Do BPH drugs affect heart failure risk? New long-term, follow-up data
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a very common condition in men, especially at older ages. It occurs when the prostate gland becomes enlarged, causing urinary symptoms (such as frequent and difficult urination). Millions of men take medications to reduce BPH symptoms - most commonly ABs, 5-ARIs, or a combination of the two.
Both BPH and cardiovascular disease are common in older men, which may reflect shared risk factors or causes. Clinical trials have suggested that men taking ABs or 5-ARIs might be more likely to develop heart failure: a chronic condition where the heart can't pump enough blood to keep up with demand. However, other studies have found no such link.
https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000001561?utm_source=press&utm_medium=press&utm_campaign=ju_bph_pr_022221
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