New Study – Finasteride vs Dutasteride Safety and Efficacy in Patients with BPH

Snippet from the study abstract published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice:

Objective: We evaluated 5-year safety, efficacy and prostate volume data from BPH patients treated with finasteride or dutasteride. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 378 consecutive men treated with 5α-reductase inhibitor monotherapy between January 2004 and September 2009 (197 on finasteride and 211 on dutasteride) in a single clinic was performed.

Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis of data from consecutive patients treated at a single clinic, both finasteride and dutasteride were effective therapies for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms. However, dutasteride resulted in significantly more sexual side effects and breast complications than finasteride.

Read the full abstract — A 5-year retrospective analysis of 5α-reductase inhibitors in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: finasteride has comparable urinary symptom efficacy and prostate volume reduction, but less sexual side effects and breast complications than dutasteride.

This study contained 378 men with the mean age of 58.7 years old, and the conclusion of the study (see above) is one of the reasons why we do not prescribe dutasteride off-label. Yes, this is a study of men with prostate issues and the dose is most likely different for treating hair loss… but the side effect risks and dosage for using dutasteride as a hair loss treatment are still unclear.