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Men taking medication to reduce the symptoms of prostate disease may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a study conducted by the University of Edinburgh and UCL. The researchers say patients should continue taking the medications, which are generally prescribed to older men, but warn that they may need additional health checks.
The researchers say patients should continue taking the medications, which are generally prescribed to older men, but warn that they may need additional health checks.
The team emphasized that it was not necessary to modify the current treatment guidelines based on their review of patient medical records.
Men with prostate hypertrophy are usually prescribed medications called 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors that reduce the production of hormones called androgens. These help treat symptoms such as reducing urinary flow.
Previous short-term studies have suggested that these drugs, including finasteride and dutasteride, could affect metabolism and reduce the body's response to insulin, an early sign of type 2 diabetes.
A team led by the University of Edinburgh and UCL studied the medical records of nearly 55,000 men in the UK who had been prescribed 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors in Canada. course of a period of 11 years.
They found that drugs were badociated with a third of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This means that out of a population of 500 men under this treatment for 20 years, an additional 16 cases of diabetes are likely to develop.
A similar effect was observed when the team repeated the study with the medical records of a group of Taiwanese men.
The results suggest that men taking these medications may need additional health checks to monitor the warning signs of diabetes so that their prescriptions can be changed if necessary.
The research, published in the British Medical Journal, was funded by the Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation. Researchers from Dundee and Newcastle Universities and Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University also contributed to the study.
Professor Ruth Andrew, from the Center for Cardiovascular Sciences of the British Heart Foundation at the University of Edinburgh, and lead author of the study, said: "We found that the drugs commonly prescribed for the treatment of the disease of the prostate can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. These results are particularly important for medical screening in older men who already have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. We will now continue our studies to better understand the results. in the long term to better identify patients at higher risk. "
Dr. Li Wei, badociate professor at UCL School of Pharmacy and first author of the study, said, "By studying real data from different ethnic populations in the United Kingdom and Taiwan, we discovered that treated with dutasteride or finasteride for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have an increased risk of developing diabetes by approximately 30%, which demonstrates the importance of using health data collected Routine to identify meaningful clinical links It is important that all patients be informed of the risks and benefits of their treatment.In this case, men should be warned of the increased risk of diabetes if they take these particular drugs for BPH and should consult their doctor if they fear it. "
Mr. Laurence Stewart, consulting urologist at Spire Murrayfield Hospital and Honorary Consultant to NHS Lothian, who did not participate directly in the study, said, "These results should not be a concern for men taking 5-alpha-reductase-inhibiting drugs, we may need to revisit the way we monitor our patients to ensure we remain extremely vigilant about the first signs of diabetes. general practitioner or urologist for advice on alternative treatments. "
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Material provided by University of Edinburgh. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
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