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Alpha-Blocker Therapy for Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

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Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Urology ((CCU))

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Summary

Alpha-blockers represent one of the most common therapies for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). The rationale is based on presence of varied receptors in the lower genitourinary tract. Alpha-blockers may work differently for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia than for patients with symptoms of CP/CPPS. Starting in the early 1970s, reports suggested that certain patients might benefit from treatment with alpha-blockers. Unfortunately, early nonspecific agents had side-effects that severely limited their clinical utility. More selective alpha-1-blockers offer substantially greater promise. The best studies were double-blinded, randomized clinical trials evaluating tamsulosin, alfuzosin, and terazosin. Current data suggest that treatment-naïve and/or newly diagnosed patients appear more likely to respond than long-term, chronic refractory patients; that longer treatment courses of treatment appear superior to shorter courses; and that less-selective alpha-blockers appear generally superior to more selective agents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Science Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

    Shaun Wen Huey Lee

  2. Lam Wah Ee Hospital, Penang, Malaysia

    Men Long Liong & Yee Vonne Liong

  3. University of Science Malaysia,  , Malaysia

    Kah Hay Yuen

  4. Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    John N. Krieger

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  1. Shaun Wen Huey Lee
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  2. Men Long Liong
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  4. Yee Vonne Liong
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  5. John N. Krieger
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  1. Cleveland Clinic, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland, Ohio

    Daniel A. Shoskes MD

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© 2008 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science + Business Media, LLC

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Lee, S.W.H., Liong, M.L., Yuen, K.H., Liong, Y.V., Krieger, J.N. (2008). Alpha-Blocker Therapy for Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. In: Shoskes, D.A. (eds) Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. Current Clinical Urology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-472-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-472-8_7

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