Which pair of medicines are 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors used in BPH?

Which pair of medicines are 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors used in BPH?

• A. Tamsulosin and Alfuzosin
• B. Finasteride and Dutasteride
• C. Doxazosin and Terazosin
• D. Sildenafil and Tadalafil

Answer: (B)

5-alpha-reductase inhibitors work by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in prostatic tissue, which drives prostate growth. By lowering DHT, these drugs shrink an enlarged prostate and slow disease progression, with effects that take months to become evident. The two medications that do this are finasteride and dutasteride. Finasteride mainly inhibits type II 5-alpha-reductase found in the prostate, while dutasteride inhibits both type I and II, providing more comprehensive DHT suppression. This mechanism makes them specifically useful for reducing prostate size in BPH and decreasing the risk of progression, especially when the gland is enlarged. Other choices include alpha-1 blockers (which relieve symptoms by relaxing smooth muscle) and PDE-5 inhibitors (which can help LUTS but do not shrink the prostate), so they are not 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.

5-alpha-reductase inhibitors work by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in prostatic tissue, which drives prostate growth. By lowering DHT, these drugs shrink an enlarged prostate and slow disease progression, with effects that take months to become evident. The two medications that do this are finasteride and dutasteride. Finasteride mainly inhibits type II 5-alpha-reductase found in the prostate, while dutasteride inhibits both type I and II, providing more comprehensive DHT suppression. This mechanism makes them specifically useful for reducing prostate size in BPH and decreasing the risk of progression, especially when the gland is enlarged. Other choices include alpha-1 blockers (which relieve symptoms by relaxing smooth muscle) and PDE-5 inhibitors (which can help LUTS but do not shrink the prostate), so they are not 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.