Long-term (4 year) efficacy and tolerability of doxazosin for the treatment of concurrent benign prostatic hyperplasia and hypertension

Background: The alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist doxazosin has proved succe ssful in treating patients with concurrent benign prostatic hyperplasia (BP H) and hypertension in short-term studies. However, both conditions are chr onic and may worsen over time. The aim of this study was, therefore, to exa mine the tolerability and efficacy of doxazosin in the long-term treatment of concurrent BPH and hypertension. Methods: This study was a longitudinal extension of earlier double-blind tr ials. Patients were enrolled into the study on a rolling basis. From a tota l of 178 BPH patients with hypertension enrolled into the study 28 had reac hed 48 months of open-label treatment with doxazosin at the time of the fin al data cutoff. Results: Treatment with doxazosin resulted in sustained benefits for BPH pa tients over the whole study period, with significant improvements in the se verity (12.2%, P < 0.001) and bothersomeness (13.2%, P < 0.001) of BPH symp toms, and in the maximum urinary flow rate (26.6%, P < 0.05) from baseline to the end of the 4-year period. There was also a significant and sustained reduction in diastolic blood pressure. The efficacy of doxazosin treatment for both BPH and hypertension was maintained over the LL-year period, desp ite the tendency of these conditions to worsen with time. Comparison of adv erse events in patients with long- and short-term hypertension and BPH demo nstrates that the safely of doxazosin is not altered during long-term. ther apy. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that doxazosin appears to be well tole rated and efficacious in the long-term management of concurrent BPH and hyp ertension.