Your mini guide on Prostate Drugs
Prostate drugs are the drugs used for the treatment of prostate problems. With aging, there are 3 common prostate problems: 1. Prostatitis or inflammation of prostate gland 2. Enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) 3. Prostate cancer As the causes and manifestation of each prostatic problem differ, there are myriad drugs used nowadays for the treatment of prostatic diseases. The following paragraphs will give you the whole background of prostate drugs. I. Prostatitis means that there is an inflammation in the prostate gland, which might occur due to infection with bacteria. Actually, there are four types of prostatitis:
| Type of prostatitis | Treatment | | Acutebacterial prostatitis | Highdoses of antibiotics taken from one to two weeks, then the dose arelowered and continued for several weeks. | | Chronicbacterial prostatitis | High doses of antibiotics, but for longer period of time, for four to twelveweeks. | | Chronicprostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome | I.Anti-inflammatory drugs to relief pain and inflammation.
II.Alpha-blockers to relax muscular tissue in the prostate to allow easypass of urine.
III. Antibiotics in case of undetected infection | | Asymptomaticinflammatory prostatitis | Nodrugs are used, only repeated PSA test | II. Enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is abnormal cellular growth (not cancer) of prostatic tissue. Myriad prostate drugs are used for the treatment of BPH. | Category | Mode of action | Generic name | Brand name | Side effects | | Alpha-blockers | Relaxation of muscles surrounding the Prostate gland | alfuzosin doxazosin
doxazosin sustained release silodosin prazosin1
tamsulosin
terazosin | Uroxatral
Cardura
Cardura XL
Rapaflo
Minipress
Flomax
Hytrin | -Vertigo -Headache -Stomach upset -Decreased amount of semenwhen ejaculation occurs | | 5-alpha Reductase inhibitors | Delays the growth of prostate and causes the shrinkage of enlarged prostatic tissue byblocking a hormone | finasteride
dutasteride | Proscar or Propecia Avodart | -Lack of sexual desire. -Reduced ability to ejaculateand failure tosustain ejaculation -Problems of ejaculation | III. Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells undergo uncontrolled growth within prostatic tissue, forming a tumor mass. Usually, this type of abnormal cellular growth is supported by the male sex hormones (androgens), like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hormone therapy (also known as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or androgen suppression therapy), are prostate drugs which can block or prevent the action of androgens. It is proved clinically that reducing the levels of androgens in the body causes the cancer to shrink or delay its growth. Unfortunately, hormone therapy can’t cure the cancer completely. In fact, hormone therapy is indicated in certain situations, including: 1- When surgical or radiation treatments fail to cure the cancer, because the cancer starts to metastasize outside the prostate. 2- Recurrent or persistent prostate cancers. 3- Hormone therapy is used as initial treatment combined with radiation therapy. 4- Prior of surgical or radiation treatments to enhance these treatments effects. Though Orchiectomy or surgical castration is a surgical procedure, its effect resembles the effect of hormone therapy. In this type of surgery, the surgeon excises the testis (where 90% of androgens are formed), thus causing the prostate cancer to shrink or grow more slowly. Types of prostate drugs used in hormonal manipulation are: | Category | Mode of action | Generic name | Brand name | Sideeffects | | Luteinizinghormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogs | Reducing theproduction of testosterone by the testicles (chemical castration) | leuprolide
goserelin triptorelin
histrelin
| Lupron
Viadur
Eligard
Zoladex
Trelstar
Vantas
| -Lossof sexual desire -Impotence -Hotflashings -Painand growth of breast tissues -Osteoporosis -Anemia -Decreasedin mental sharpness -Elevatedblood cholesterol -Developingdepression | | Luteinizinghormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonists | Same like LHRH,but it seems to lower level of testosterone more rapidly, with lessflare ups of cancer | abarelix degarelix | Plenaxis
Firmagon | -Weakness -Increasein weight -Lossof body muscular mass -Highrisk for hypertension, diabetes, and myocardial infarctions | | Anti-androgens | Block or preventthe body from utilizing androgens | flutamide
bicalutamide
nilutamide | Eulexin
Casodex
Nilandron | Sameside effects but with less sexual manifestations -Diarrhea -Nausea -Liverimpairment | | Estrogens | androgen-suppressingdrugs | ketoconazole | Nizoral | -Bloodclotting -Enlargementof the breast |
Chemotherapy is indicated when prostate cancer starts to spread or metastasize to other organs or tissues. Chemotherapy involves the use of anti-cancerous drugs, which are injected into a blood vessel or taken orally. These kinds of prostate drugs have the power to destroy the growing cells in the body. Some of chemotherapy drugs used might include:
| Generic name | Brand name | Sideeffects | | docetaxel | Taxotere | -Alopecia -Lower immunity for infections -Oral ulcers -Losing apatite -Vomiting -High tendency for bleeding -Tiredness These side effects are short-term, andend once the chemotherapy is finished. | | mitoxantrone | Novantrone | | estramustine | Emcyt | | doxorubicin | Adriamycin | | etoposide | VP-16 | | vinblastine | Velban | | paclitaxel | Taxol | | carboplatin | Paraplatin | | vinorelbine | Navelbine |
|
