For the smart shopper, some new advice on prostate drugs

Flomax is a name known by many, if not most, men suffering with an enlarged prostate gland. How could it not be?

It's one of the nation's most-prescribed drugs with a hefty marketing budget behind it. But Consumer Reports says it might not be the best choice for many patients, just the more expensive choice.

In an analysis of 60 studies of drugs that treat enlarged prostate, the much cheaper doxazosin came out on top. Using that drug instead of Flomax, Consumer Reports says, could save patients about $3,000 a year.

More on Flomax (tamsulosin) and doxazosin from RxList.com.

And the full Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs report.

-- Tami Dennis

Comments

[Donald E. Sawyer, M.D.]

Although Doxazosin and Terazosin iare much cheaper than Flomax at least 15-25 % of men taking Doxazosin or Terazosin experience lightheadedness and dizziness with occas fainting from the drug's effect on their blood pressure. Although Flomax is certainly more expensive the risk of the above side effects is much less. When you have a patient on multiple medications the risk of lightheadedness and falling is a reall one. That is the reason Flomax is ordered more fequently than Doxazosin or Terazosin.
Donald E. Sawyer, M.D.
Staff Urologist VA MEdical Center, Jackson, MS
Assistant Professor of Urology University of Mississippi.