Cialis Approved to Treat Enlarged Prostate

Also approved for treatment of BPH and erectile dysfunction occurring simultaneously

FRIDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The erectile dysfunction drug Cialis (tadalafil) has received new approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the medical term for an enlarged prostate.

Symptoms of BPH frequently include difficulty urinating, a sudden urge to urinate, and an increase in having to urinate, notably at night.

The drug was evaluated among men with BPH in three trials. Those who took 5 milligrams of Cialis once daily showed significant reduction in symptoms of BPH, the FDA said in a news release. The third trial involved men with BPH who also had been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction.

Men who take a class of drugs called nitrates, including nitroglycerin, shouldn't take Cialis in tandem, since the combination could lead to an unsafe drop in blood pressure, the FDA said. The agency made a similar warning about taking Cialis along with alpha blocker drugs, which typically are prescribed to treat high blood pressure or anxiety.

Eight other drugs have been approved to treat symptoms of BPH: Proscar (finasteride), Avodart (dutasteride), Jalyn (dutasteride and tamsulosin), Hytrin (terazosin), Cardura (doxazosin), Flomax (tamsulosin), Uroxatral (alfuzosin) and Rapaflo (silodosin).

Cialis is produced by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about this drug.

Scott Roberts

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