Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate in aging men, can cause bothersome urinary symptoms (intermittency, weak stream, straining, urgency, frequency, incomplete emptying). Finasteride, a five-alpha reductase inhibitor (5ARI), blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, reduces prostate size, and is commonly used to treat symptoms associated with BPH. ⋯ Finasteride improves long-term urinary symptoms versus placebo, but is less effective than doxazosin. Long-term combination therapy with alpha blockers (doxazosin, terazosin) improves symptoms significantly better than finasteride monotherapy. Finasteride + doxazosin improves symptoms equally - and clinically - to doxazosin alone. In comparison to doxazosin, finasteride + doxazosin appears to improve urinary symptoms only in men with medium (25 to < 40 mL) or large prostates (≥ 40 mL), but not in men with small prostates (25 mL).Comparing short to long-term therapy, finasteride does not improve symptoms significantly better than placebo at the short term, but in the long term it does, although the magnitude of differences was very small (from < 1.0 point to 2.2 points). Doxazosin improves symptoms better than finasteride both short and long term, with the magnitude of differences ∼2.0 points and 1.0 point, respectively. Finasteride + doxazosin improves scores versus finasteride alone at both short and long term, with mean differences ∼2.0 points for both time points. Finasteride + doxazosin versus doxazosin improves scores equally for short and long term.Drug-related adverse effects for finasteride are rare; nevertheless, men taking finasteride are at increased risk for impotence, erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and ejaculation disorder, versus placebo. Versus doxazosin, which has higher rates of dizziness, postural hypotension, and asthenia, men taking finasteride are at increased risk for impotence, erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and ejaculation disorder. Finasteride significantly reduces asthenia, postural hypotension, and dizziness versus terazosin. Finasteride significantly lowers the risk of asthenia, dizziness, ejaculation disorder, and postural hypotension, versus finasteride + terazosin.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2010
Review Meta AnalysisMagnesium sulphate versus phenytoin for eclampsia.
Eclampsia, the occurrence of a seizure in association with pre-eclampsia, remains a rare but serious complication of pregnancy. A number of different anticonvulsants have been used to control eclamptic fits and to prevent further seizures. ⋯ Magnesium sulphate, rather than phenytoin, for women with eclampsia reduces the risk ratio of recurrence of seizures, probably reduces the risk of maternal death, and improves outcome for the baby. Magnesium sulphate is the drug of choice for women with eclampsia. The use of phenytoin should be abandoned.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Oct 2010
Review Meta AnalysisEffects and safety of periconceptional folate supplementation for preventing birth defects.
It has been reported that neural tube defects can be prevented with periconceptional folic acid supplementation. The effects of different doses, forms and schemes of folate supplementation for the prevention of other birth defects and maternal and infant outcomes are unclear. ⋯ Folic acid, alone or in combination with vitamins and minerals, prevents NTDs but does not have a clear effect on other birth defects.
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Levomepromazine is an 'older' typical antipsychotic medication licensed for use in schizophrenia but sparingly prescribed in the United Kingdom. ⋯ Available data does not enable us to confidently comment on the effectiveness of levomepromazine for schizophrenia. Larger, more robust, studies comparing levomepromazine with other antipsychotics including clozapine are much needed.