Objective: To assess the effectiveness and safety of the alphala/d blocker naftopidil in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms.
Methods: Fifty BPH patients with OAB symptoms were treated with naftopidil at the dose of 25 mg/d for 6 weeks. A self-controlled clinical trial was conducted. The effectiveness and safety of the drug were observed by comparing the International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), quality of life indexes (QOL), maximum urinary flow rates (Qmax) , average urinary flow rates (Qave), voiding volumes (VV), blood pressures (BP) and heart rates (HR) obtained before and after the treatment.
Results: After 6 weeks' medication, the 46 assessable cases showed an average decrease of 9.75 in IPSS (P < 0.01), 3.97 in voiding symptom score (P < 0.01), 5.78 in urinary storage symptom score (P < 0.01) and 1.95 in QOL (P < 0.01), and a mean increase of 4.29 ml/s in Qmax (P < 0.01), 3.75 ml/s in Qave (P < 0.01) and 55.12 ml/s in VV (P < 0.05). But no significant changes were observed in BP and HR. Only 1 patient (4.35%) experienced the adverse event of dizziness.
Conclusion: The alphalA/D blocker naftopidil is both effective and safe in the treatment of BPH patients with OAB symptoms.