Medical management of lower urinary tract symptoms.

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are a common complaint among aging men and are often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A number of medical treatments for LUTS/BPH exist, such as alpha-blockers, 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, anticholinergics, phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, and combination therapies. Agonist binding of the alpha(1A)-adrenergic receptor (AR), causing prostatic smooth muscle contraction, has been attributed to cause some LUTS. Therefore, medical therapy has aimed to block the alpha(1A)-AR and improve LUTS. Determining which therapy to choose must take into account individual patient factors as well as cost and patient choice.