system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A 70-year-old man presents to an urgent care clinic with bilateral flank pain for the past 2 days. During the last week, he has been experiencing some difficulty with urination, which prevented him from leaving his home. Now, he has to go to the bathroom 4–5 times per hour and he wakes up multiple times during the night to urinate. He also complains of straining and difficulty initiating urination with a poor urinary stream. The temperature is 37.5°C (99.5°F), the blood pressure is 125/90 mm Hg, the pulse is 90/min, and the respiratory rate is 18/min. The physical examination showed bilateral flank tenderness and palpable kidneys bilaterally. A digital rectal exam revealed a smooth, severely enlarged prostate without nodules. A CT scan is obtained. He is prescribed a drug that will alleviate his symptoms by reducing the size of the prostate. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of this drug?
assistant
5-alpha reductase inhibitor