Inhibidores de la fosfodiesterasa 5 en el tratamiento de la sintomatología miccional

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and erectile dysfunction (ED), are highly prevalent conditions in men over the age of 50. Both have a negative impact on quality of life. The goal of this article is to review the relationship between ED and LUTS and the possibility to treat both entities using phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5). Epidemiological studies have established an association between LUTS and erectile dysfunction, concluding that LUTS is a risk factor for ED. Moreover, several reports found a common physiopathological basis. According to the most accepted hypothesis, the Oxide nictric-GMPc axis is the common physiopathologic pathway for erectile dysfunction and LUTS. Several reports show that the different PDE5 inhibitors can be effective in LUTS treatment and that they can be successful alone or associated with alpha-blockers. Moreover, preliminary studies report about the possibility of using PDE5 inhibitors to treat hyperactive bladder. Nevertheless, more studies are warranted to establish the exact value of PDE5 inhibitors for treatment of LUTS, associated or not with erectile dysfunction.