Proscar
Meaning of Proscar: Proscar is the brand name for finasteride, a medication used to treat an enlarged prostate gland in men.
Definition of Proscar
Proscar is a brand name for finasteride, a medication that blocks the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which the body uses to convert testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that contributes to prostate tissue growth. By reducing dihydrotestosterone levels, Proscar can shrink prostate tissue and ease symptoms related to an enlarged prostate gland, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Proscar is generally taken as a single daily tablet, and its effect on prostate size and related urinary symptoms develops gradually rather than immediately, since existing prostate tissue takes time to respond to the reduced hormone level. Finasteride is also sold at a lower dose under a different brand name specifically to treat male pattern hair loss, a distinct use from Proscar's approved indication for prostate enlargement.
Because finasteride lowers dihydrotestosterone, it can also lower levels of prostate specific antigen, a blood marker sometimes used in prostate cancer screening, a laboratory effect generally taken into account when interpreting that test in someone taking the medication.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Proscar was prescribed to help manage the patient's symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Good to know
Finasteride is sold under Proscar for prostate enlargement and under a separate brand name at a lower dose for hair loss, so the same active drug is marketed differently depending on the intended use.