Long-term efficacy and safety of tamsulosin for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The treatment approach for recent benign prostatic hyperplasia has changed since the recent introduction of medical therapies with evidence-based efficacy. The choice of treatment to achieve symptom relief must take into account factors such as clinical benefits, potential for morbidity, probable long-term efficacy, and costs. alpha(1)1-Adrenergic receptor antagonists are the primary therapy for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms and are used by 80% of physicians as the first-line agent to treat this common condition in the aging male. Tamsulosin has been available in the United States since 1997 and has demonstrated its efficacy. Of patients completing 6 years of treatment, 80.7% demonstrated consistent positive response with extremely low incidence of orthostasis, the response being greatest during the first year and largely maintained over the following 5 years.