What is doxazosin?
Doxazosin is in a group of drugs called alpha-adrenergic (AL-fa ad-ren-ER-jik) blockers. Doxazosin 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.
Doxazosin is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), or to improve urination in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).
Doxazosin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about doxazosin?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to doxazosin or similar medicines such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), prazosin (Minipress), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), or terazosin (Hytrin).
Doxazosin may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it or when you start taking it again. 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 doxazosin for any reason, call your doctor before you start taking it again. You may need a dose adjustment.
Doxazosin can affect your pupils during cataract surgery. Tell your eye surgeon ahead of time that you are using this medication. Do not stop using doxazosin 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).
What should I discuss with my doctor before taking doxazosin?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to doxazosin or similar medicines such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), prazosin (Minipress), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), or terazosin (Hytrin).
If you have liver disease or a history of prostate cancer, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take doxazosin.
Doxazosin can affect your pupils during cataract surgery. Tell your eye surgeon ahead of time that you are using this medication. Do not stop using doxazosin before surgery unless your surgeon tells you to.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether doxazosin 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 doxazosin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.