Prostate disease in older men: 1. Benign hyperplasia.

Medical therapy with alpha 1-adrenergic blockers or 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors offers an alternative to the traditional choices of watchful waiting and surgery. Patients with obstructive symptoms and a small prostate appear to respond to treatment with an alpha 1-adrenergic blocker, while a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor may be the preferred agent for a large gland.