Aging male baby boomers are starting to notice symptoms of prostate enlargement such as frequent or difficult urination. TV commercials for Flomax encourage men to ask their doctor if Flomax is right for them. A new study suggests that this drug might NOT be right for anyone who is contemplating cataract surgery. Not only does Flomax increase the risk during surgery for something called intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS), but it also appears to double the risk for postoperative complications such as retinal detachment or lost lens. The researchers reviewed more than 96,000 medical records of eye surgery conducted between 2002 and 2007. Other drugs used to treat prostate symptoms did not appear as likely to cause complications.
[Journal of the American Medical Association, May 20, 2009]
