What is Finasteride ?

Finasteride is a drug that belongs to the class of androgen inhibitors, which means that it blocks the production of male sex hormones. Finasteride has two main purposes: the treatment of urinary problems in men caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or enlargement of the prostate gland; and the stimulation of new hair growth in men with male pattern baldness. Finasteride was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1992 under the trade name Proscar as a treatment for BPH. It received a second FDA approval in December 1997 under the trade name Propecia for the treatment of hair loss in men. Finasteride has also been used by some European doctors to treat hair loss in postmenopausal women, although its use in women is considered controversial in the United States. It is considered the most effective nonsurgical treatment for male pattern baldness as of 2005.
Finasteride works to relieve such symptoms of prostate enlargement as urinary urgency, the need to urinate frequently at night (nocturia), inability to completely empty the bladder, incontinence, or painful urination (dysuria) by blocking the production of DHT. DHT causes the prostate gland to grow and increase pressure on the bladder. As the swollen prostate gradually shrinks, the patient finds it easier to pass urine without discomfort and to empty the bladder completely before going to sleep. Some doctors also prescribe finasteride as pretreatment for prostate surgery, as it lowers the risk of severe bleeding during the operation.Finasteride should be stored in dry places and should be kept at a temperature between 59°F and 86°F (15-30°C). Heat and moisture may cause the drug to lose its potency.
The drug can be safely handled by pregnant women as long as the tablets are intact; however, crushed or broken tablets should not be touched by a pregnant woman as the drug can be absorbed through the skin. If the woman is carrying a male fetus, the drug can cause abnormalities in the baby's sex organs. The FDA issued a warning in 2003 that men taking finasteride should not donate blood until one month after the final dose of the drug, on the grounds that their blood could contain high enough levels of the medication to cause birth defects in a male baby if given to a pregnant woman.
Patients should be advised that finasteride takes several months to reach its full effect—as long as six months for BPH and three months for hair regrowth. In addition, the drug's effects on the body are not permanent; the prostate will start to enlarge again or the hair growth will be lost if the patient stops taking the drug.