What is Hytrin?

Hytrin is in a group of drugs called alpha-adrenergic blockers. Hytrin relaxes your veins and arteries so that blood can more easily pass through them. It also relaxes the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate.

Hytrin is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), or to improve urination in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).

Hytrin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Warnings

You should not use Hytrin if you are allergic to terazosin. Hytrin may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it or when you start taking it again. You may wish to take this medication only at bedtime if it causes you to feel light-headed. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. Avoid standing for long periods of time or becoming overheated during exercise and in hot weather. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.

If you stop taking Hytrin for any reason, call your doctor before you start taking it again. You may need a dose adjustment.

Hytrin can affect your pupils during cataract surgery. Tell your eye surgeon ahead of time that you are using Hytrin. Do not stop using Hytrin before surgery unless your surgeon tells you to.

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially other blood pressure medications including diuretics (water pills).

Before taking this medicine

Hytrin can affect your pupils during cataract surgery. Tell your eye surgeon ahead of time that you are using this medication. Do not stop using Hytrin before surgery unless your surgeon tells you to.

If you have a history of prostate cancer, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Hytrin.

You should not use Hytrin if you are allergic to terazosin.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Hytrin will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. It is not known whether terazosin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use Hytrin without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Hytrin?

Take Hytrin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.

Hytrin lowers blood pressure and may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it, or when you start taking it again. You may wish to take this medication only at bedtime if it causes you to feel light-headed. Call your doctor if you have severe dizziness or feel like you might pass out.

You may feel very dizzy when you first wake up. Be careful when standing or sitting up from a lying position.

If you stop taking Hytrin for any reason, call your doctor before you start taking it again. You may need a dose adjustment.

Your blood pressure and/or prostate will need to be checked often. Visit your doctor regularly.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using Hytrin even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Some things can cause your blood pressure to get too low. This includes vomiting, diarrhea, heavy sweating, heart disease, dialysis, a low-salt diet, or taking diuretics (water pills). Tell your doctor if you have a prolonged illness that causes diarrhea or vomiting.

Store Hytrin at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

If you miss your doses for several days in a row, contact your doctor before restarting the medication. You may need a lower dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line .

Overdose symptoms may include extreme dizziness or fainting.

What should I avoid?

Hytrin may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

To prevent dizziness, avoid standing for long periods of time or becoming overheated during exercise and in hot weather.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of Hytrin.

Hytrin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Hytrin: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fast or pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
• feeling like you might pass out;
• swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet; or
• penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.

Less serious Hytrin side effects may include:

• mild dizziness;
• weakness, drowsiness;
• blurred vision;
• nausea; or
• headache.

What is prazosin?

Prazosin is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Lowering blood pressure may lower your risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Prazosin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Prazosin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Prazosin may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
• pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
• new or worsening chest pain; or
• upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Call your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if your erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours. A prolonged erection (priapism) can damage the penis.

Common side effects of prazosin may include:

• dizziness, drowsiness;
• headache;
• feeling weak or tired; or
• nausea.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Y

Warnings

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use prazosin if you are allergic to it.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• low blood pressure, especially if caused by taking medications.

Prazosin can affect your pupils. If you have cataract surgery, tell your surgeon ahead of time that you use prazosin.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether prazosin will harm an unborn baby. However, having high blood pressure during pregnancy may cause complications such as diabetes or eclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure that can lead to medical problems in both mother and baby). The benefit of treating hypertension may outweigh any risks to the baby.

It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.

Prazosin is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

How should I take prazosin?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Prazosin lowers blood pressure and may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it, or whenever your dose is changed. You may feel very dizzy when you first wake up.

Your blood pressure will need to be checked often.

Swallow the capsule whole and do not crush, chew, break, or open it.

Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Prazosin is only part of a complete treatment program that may also include diet, exercise, weight control, and special medical care. Follow your doctor’s instructions very closely.

Some things can cause your blood pressure to get too low. This includes vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating. Call your doctor if you are sick with vomiting or diarrhea.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Prazosin dosing information

Usual Adult Dose for Hypertension:

Initial dose: 1 mg orally 2 or 3 times a day
Maintenance dose: 1 to 20 mg orally per day in divided doses

Comments:
-Titrate slowly as determined by blood pressure response.
-Therapeutic dosages usually range from 6 to 15 mg per day in divided doses.
-Total daily doses greater than 20 mg usually do not increase efficacy, but some patients may benefit from daily doses up to 40 mg per day in divided doses.

Detailed Prazosin dosage information

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line .

Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness or underactive reflexes.

What should I avoid while taking prazosin?

Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how prazosin will affect you. Your reactions could be impaired.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.

Drinking alcohol with this medicine can cause side effects.

What other drugs will affect prazosin?

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

• propranolol;
• any other blood pressure medication;
• a diuretic or “water pill”; or
• sildenafil (Viagra) and other erectile dysfunction medicines.