Detailed Drug Information:

DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Terazosin belongs to a class ofmedications called alpha 1 blockers which relaxes the smooth muscles ofthe arteries, the prostate, and the bladder neck. Relaxing the smoothmuscles of the arteries lowers blood pressure. Relaxing the smooth musclesaround the bladder neck relieves urinary obstruction caused by an enlargedprostate (prostate hypertrophy).

PREPARATIONS: Tablets: 1mg, 2mg, 5mg, 10mg.

STORAGE: Should be stored at room temperature (below 80 degreesF) in a tight container.

PRESCRIBED FOR: Terazosin is used to treat the symptoms ofurinary obstruction as a result of an enlarged prostate. Terazosin relaxesthe smooth muscles of the bladder neck and the prostate and increasesurine flow. Terazosin is also used alone or in combination with anotherblood pressure medication to treat high blood pressure.

DOSING: May be taken with or without food.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Terazosin is metabolized by the liver andexcreted partially by the kidney. Therefore, medication dosages may needto be lowered in patients with liver or kidney dysfunction.

By relaxing the smooth muscles and dilating the arteries, terazosin cancause a marked lowering of the blood pressure especially when the patientstands up (postural hypotension). Postural hypotension can cause thepatient to pass out (syncope) upon standing. Postural hypotension andsyncope are usually associated with the first dose or the first few daysof treatment. Hypotension and syncope can also occur when medication dosesare increased abruptly or another blood pressure medication is added. Inorder to decrease the likelihood of excessive hypotension and syncope,terazosin is initiated at low doses, given at bedtime while lying down.The dose can be increased slowly as needed.

Prostate cancer and hypertrophy both cause similar symptoms of urineflow obstruction. Prostate cancer and prostate hypertrophy can co-exist.Therefore, patients being treated for prostate hypertrophy should beevaluated to exclude prostate cancer.

SIDE EFFECTS: Besides postural hypotension and dizziness, therare reported side effects are weakness, fatigue, headaches, swelling(edema), palpitations, nasal congestion, sleepiness, decreased libido,impotence, and blurred vision.