The prostate is a gland that forms part of the male reproductive system that functions to squeeze fluid into the urethra as sperm move through during sexual climax. More than 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions that include an enlarged prostate, prostate cancer and inflammation of the prostate, according to Men's Health Network, a non-profit information service. Drugs are often used to treat these prostate conditions.
Enlarged Prostate
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says the Food and Drug Administration has approved six drugs to relieve symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. One class of drugs inhibits the production of DHT, a hormone that is involved with prostate enlargement, and can prevent progression of the growth of the prostate gland or shrink the gland. These drugs include finasteride and dutasteride, and are sold under the brand names Proscar and Avodart, respectively. Alpha blockers are a second class of drugs that can improve urine flow and reduce bladder obstruction by relaxing the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder. These drugs include terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin and alfuzosin, and are sold under brand names Hytrin, Cardura, Flomax and Uroxatral, respectively. Research by S.A. Kaplan published in the "Journal of Urology" in 2006 discovered that combination therapy with finasteride and doxazosin leads to a greater decrease in the risk of clinical progression of BPH than either drug alone.
Prostate Cancer
MayoClinic.com says that hormone therapy and chemotherapy are the two methods of drug treatment for prostate cancer. Hormone therapy aims to either stop the body from producing testosterone, an essential substance cancer cells require to grow, or block testosterone from reaching cancer cells. Drugs called lutenizing hormone-releasing hormone, also called LH-RH, prevent the testicles from making testosterone. These drugs include leuprolide, histrelin, degarelix, triptorelin and goserelin. Anti-androgens are drugs that prevent testosterone from reaching cancer cells, and include nilutamide, bicalutamide and flutamide. Common side effects from hormone therapy include hot flashes, erectile dysfunction, reduced sex drive, weight gain and loss of muscle and bone mass. Hormone therapy can also increase the risk of heart attack and heart disease.
Chemotherapy involves drugs used to kill rapidly growing cancer cells, which are usually prescribed when hormone therapy has failed or when cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
According to information on Prostate-Report.org, docetaxel in combination with prednisone is the best type of chemotherapy for improving quality of life in patients with prostate cancer.
Carboplatin, etoposide, inblastine, vinorelbine, doxorubicin, mitoxantrone, estramustine and paclitaxel are other common drugs used in chemotherapy for prostate cancer.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is characterized by inflammation of the prostate gland caused by bacterial infection. Antimicrobial medications are the common types of drug treatment for prostatitis, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Research by F.M.Wagenlehner published in the "International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents" in 2005 found that fluoroquinolones are an effective class of antibiotics in patients with prostate cancer.
