Apo-Dutasteride Mechanism of Action

Prostate growth is caused by a hormone in the blood called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). APO-DUTASTERIDE belongs to a group of medicines called 5 alpha-reductase enzyme inhibitors.
APO-DUTASTERIDE lowers DHT production in the body, leading to a shrinkage of the enlarged prostate in most men, which leads to improvements in BPH symptoms and improved urinary flow, reduced risk of acute urinary retention (or where patient suddenly cannot urinate at all), and reduced risk of the need for BPH related surgery.
APO-DUTASTERIDE is also used with another medicine called tamsulosin, an alpha blocker, which acts by relaxing smooth muscle in the prostate and bladder neck at the site of obstruction, resulting in improvements in BPH symptoms and improved urinary flow.
Symptoms of BPH may be seen to improve after 3 months of treatment with APO-DUTASTERIDE, however, it may take up to 6 months to know if treatment with APO-DUTASTERIDE will be beneficial.