5-ARI
Medical abbreviation · Drug Class
| Stands for | 5-alpha reductase inhibitor |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
5-ARI stands for 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, a drug class abbreviation.
Drugs that block conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT): finasteride and dutasteride. They shrink an enlarged prostate over months and treat male-pattern hair loss.
Example: BPH with prostate 60 g: add 5-ARI finasteride 5 mg to tamsulosin.
Usage notes
Finasteride was approved for prostate enlargement (Proscar, 5 mg) in 1992 and for hair loss (Propecia, 1 mg) in 1997. Because 5-ARIs lower PSA by roughly half, PSA values are doubled for prostate cancer screening. Pregnant women should not handle crushed or broken tablets because of risk to a male fetus. Sexual side effects can occur.
Related abbreviations
More drug class abbreviations
- 3GC – Third-generation cephalosporin
- 5-HT3 RA – 5-HT3 receptor antagonist
- AAD – Antiarrhythmic drug
- ACEI – Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor
- AChEI – Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
- ACT – Artemisinin-based combination therapy
- ADC – Antibody-drug conjugate
- AED – Antiepileptic drug
- AG – Aminoglycoside
- AGI – Alpha-glucosidase inhibitor
- AI – Aromatase inhibitor
- ARB – Angiotensin II receptor blocker
See all 113 drug class abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.