Intermittent alpha-blocker therapy improves abnormal ejaculation

Intermittent tamsulosin (Flomax) treatment appears to be well tolerated and provides comparable improvements for abnormal ejaculation, according to a study by Turkish researchers.

The study, published in the Journal of Urology (2006; 175:650-2), was performed between January 2001 and December 2004 and included 405 patients who were at least 50 years old with lower urinary tract symptoms. In phase I, patients received tamsulosin, 0.4 mg daily after breakfast for at least 3 months. In phase II, the 30 patients with abnormal ejaculation received tamsulosin, 0.4 mg once daily every other day. Patients were assessed at study entry and at week 6.

Nineteen of the 30 patients (63%) with abnormal ejaculation recovered ejaculatory function, according to the team. A significant improvement in retrograde ejaculation was found after intermittent treatment (p=.02). Although there were improvements in decreased volume or absent ejaculate at week 6, these differences were not statistically significant.