5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors for Prostatitis

This medicine should not be used by men who plan to father a child, because there is a small chance that the medicine could cause a birth defect. Women who are pregnant or might become pregnant should not handle broken or crushed tablets of finasteride or dutasteride.

5-alpha reductase inhibitors reduce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Because PSA levels are used to detect early-stage prostate cancer, men interested in taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors might consider the following:

• Some experts suggest that men be checked for the presence of prostate cancer (using the PSA test and a digital rectal exam) before starting to take 5-alpha reductase inhibitors.
• Follow-up PSA tests that have not decreased by approximately 50% after 6 months of taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may point to a need for further testing for prostate cancer.
• PSA levels above 2 ng/mL during 5-alpha reductase inhibitor treatment may point to a need for further testing for prostate cancer.

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