Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Consensus ; Humans ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta

PURPOSE: Medical therapy with an alpha-blocker is commonly used primarily in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, the efficacy of the alpha-blocker is still questionable in reference to a small prostate, with the size of 30g or less. We reviewed 117 patients who had been taken the alpha-blocker for the management of BPH, and the results were analyzed according to the prostatic size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred seventeen patients were divided into the two following groups: Group I consisted of 57 patients with a BPH of under 30g and Group II consisted of 60 patients with a BPH of over 30g. Both groups were evaluated for the international prostate symptom score, urine flow rate, and residual urine volume before and 3 months after receiving medical therapy with tamsulosin. RESULTS: The success rate after medical therapy was similar in both groups, and all components were significantly improved after 3 months. The improvement rate of the urine flow rate was more significant in group II than group I. CONCLUSIONS: According to several objective results and the preference of patients for this treatment, medical therapy with the alpha-blocker could be also available in patients with BPH of under 30g.
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; Humans ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia*

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Genomics

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Humans

Hypertension is a rare but well-documented manifestation of neuroblastoma. This is a case in which a hypertensive 8 month-old male with a large left adrenal mass was diagnosed as pheochromocytoma and prepared for surgery with alpha adrenergic blockers and beta adrenergic blockers. Vital signs prior to induction of anesthesia and during surgery also mimicked pheochromocytoma but pathologic examinations revealed neuroblastoma. Laboratory findings also supported pheochromocytoma taking into account the fact that hypertension is rare in neuroblastomas.
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; Anesthesia ; Child* ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Infant ; Male ; Neuroblastoma* ; Pheochromocytoma ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the pro-erectile potential of various urethral alpha blockers using pharmacological or electrical induction of erection in anesthesized rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the influence on centrally mediated erection, intravenous administeration of terazosin, doxazosin(3, 10, 30microgram/kg), and tamsulosin (0.3, 1, 3microgram/kg), followed by submaximal subcutaneous apomorphine(50microgram/kg) administration, mean arterial pressure(MAP) and intracavernosal pressure(ICP) were recorded over 30 minutes in male anesthesized rats. The time to first response, peaks within 30 minutes, maximal ICP, area under the curve, percentage of ICP/MAP were compared. To evaluate the influence on peripherally induced erections, various doses of alpha antagonists and submaximal cavernous nerve stimulation(0.5ms, 2V, 10Hz) were combined. The ICP increase and ICP/MAP percentage were also compared. RESULTS: Although various dose response relationships were shown, all three alpha blockers enhanced erectile activity triggered by apomorphine. In terms of time to first response and peaks within 30 minutes, the proerectile effects of terazosin was most prominent whereas those of tamsulosin was minimal, requiring larger doses. In combining with cavernous nerve stimulation, doxazosin and tamsulosin showed moderate proerectile activity, but the highest dose of terazosin was required to enhance ICP increase induced by cavernous nerve stimulation. Despite their pressure lowering effects, all tested alpha adrenergic blockers significantly enhanced the ICP/MAP percentage. CONCLUSIONS: The present finding clearly indicated that alpha 1 selective antagonists can enhance erectile capacity when combined with central or peripheral stimuli for erection.
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; Adrenergic Antagonists ; Animals ; Apomorphine ; Doxazosin ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Rats*

Adrenergic receptors are members of the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily. Recent studies revealed that these adrenergic receptors are playing an important role in the growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells. The expression of adrenergic receptors rises significantly in prostate cancer cells and tissues. Agonists of these receptors promote the growth and mobility of prostate cancer cells, while antagonists may suppress their proliferation, trigger their apoptosis, and inhibit their metastasis. Clinically, receptor antagonists can significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer and improve its prognosis after androgen depravation therapy. This article presents an overview on the roles of adrenergic receptors in prostate cancer.
Adrenergic Agonists ; pharmacology ; Adrenergic Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, Adrenergic ; drug effects ; physiology

The author investigated the effect of adrenergic and adrenergic blocking agents on the phosphorylase activity of bovine extraocular muscle in vitro and obtained the following results: 1. The phosphorylase a activity of bovine extraocular muscle was revealed 53.6% in vitro. 2. The phosphorylase a activity of bovine extraocular muscle was slightly enhanced by the adrenergic agents such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and isoproterenol. 3. The phosphorylase a activity of bovine extraocular muscle was not affected by the adrenergic areceptor blocking agent, phenoxybenzamine but slightly inhibited by the adrenergic beta-receptor blocking agent, propranolol. 4. The phosphorylase a activity of bovine extraocular muscle previously treated with the adrenergic agents was blocked by a sole administration of propranolol or combined administrations of propranolol and phenoxybenzamine but not blocked by phenoxybenzamine alene.
Adrenergic Agents ; Adrenergic Antagonists* ; Epinephrine ; Isoproterenol ; Muscles* ; Norepinephrine ; Phenoxybenzamine ; Phosphorylase a ; Propranolol

The effects of topically applied bunazosin hydrochloride, Which has been developed as a highly selective alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist, on intraocular pressure(IOP), pupillary diameter, conjunctival injection, ptosis, and blood pressure were investigated in 14 normal volunteers. It is known that the mechanism of lOP reduction appears to be an increase in uveoscleral outflow and/or a decrease in episcleral venous pressure. The purpose of this experiment is to observe the effects of 0.1 % Bunazosin(R) on the lOP, pupil size, lid, conjunctival change and blood pressure in the normal human subject. The effects of 0.1% topical bunazosin(R) have been observed with placebo-controlled, double-blind single-dose study. The drug reduced lOP for 10 hours, and the decrease was statistically significant(p value <0.05). The lOP was decreased maximally at 3 hours after the instillation of the drug and the amount of the lOP reduction was 4.2mmHg. There were no significant changes of pupil size, lid configuration, conjunctival injection, and blood pressure in this experiment.
Adrenergic Antagonists ; Blood Pressure ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Pupil ; Venous Pressure

PURPOSE: Using meta-analysis, the study's aim was to evaluate the efficacy of tamsulosin, an alpha-blocker, in the treatment of ureteral stones with or without shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) in Korean patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled studies published through June 2011 were identified in a search of MEDLINE, KoreaMed, and the Korean Medical Database. No language restriction was applied. Only randomized controlled trials conducted with Korean patients were eligible for the analysis. The primary outcome assessed was the stone clearance rate. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of the study and extracted the data. Meta-analysis was conducted by using R, version 2.13.0. RESULTS: A total of 6 articles were selected as being suitable for evaluation. Pooling of the trials demonstrated a 43% higher expulsion rate for tamsulosin treatment compared to a control group (risk ratio [RR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24 to 1.65). Similar results were obtained in all subgroup analyses according to stone location (upper: RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.68, lower: RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.20 to 1.88) or concomitant SWL (yes: RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.68, no: RR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.21 to 1.83). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies provides a high level of evidence supporting the suggestion that treatment with tamsulosin augments the stone expulsion rate for ureter stones with or without SWL in a Korean population. However, a high-quality, large-scale, multicenter, randomized controlled trial is warranted to fully support this hypothesis.
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Sulfonamides ; Ureter ; Ureteral Calculi