Alfuzosin has been on the market for 30 years and is a tried and tested product in the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia. The alpha blocker relaxes the muscles of the prostate and makes urination easier and can be used in both mild and severe cases.
What is alfuzosin?
Alfuzosin belongs to the group of alpha blockers and, as an antagonist, relaxes the muscles of the prostate and urethra. The flow of urine will improve and the symptoms of prostatic hyperplasia will decrease or go away.
Alfuzosin does not change the actual cause of the disease - the prostate remains enlarged - but only combats the symptoms of the disease. Alfuzosin is only used to treat men and has no effect on women.
Pharmacological effect
Alfuzosin is given in tablets that usually contain five milligrams of the active ingredient. After the administration of alfuzosin, the preparation acts only on the prostate if the patient has a greatly enlarged prostate.
This condition, known as hyperplasia, leads to problems with urination, including in particular frequent (but at the same time significantly more difficult) emptying of the bladder. Patients suffering from prostatic hyperplasia report severe problems, especially at night, which means that a restful sleep can no longer be guaranteed. The alpha blockers contained in alfuzosin are designed to allow the muscles within the prostate to relax and at the same time relax the bladder neck, which makes emptying the bladder easier and, in the best case, painless.
Alfuzosin does not affect any other organs unless the drug has any side effects. Alfuzosin has no effect on women. Elderly patients are more prone to side effects and drug interactions, which is why the dosage is reduced to the lowest amount in these cases. Since alfuzosin can make you feel dizzy, patients should take care not to use machines or drive a car after taking it for the first time.
Medical application & use
When treating prostatic hyperplasia with alfuzosin, tablets or a saline solution that contains the active substance of the drug are usually used. Except for this application, there are no diseases or complaints that are treated by alfuzosin. When taking it orally in tablet form, care should be taken to take alfuzosin after a meal if possible.
In the most common use cases for people under 65 years of age, tablets with an active ingredient content of five milligrams are used, which are taken in the morning, noon and evening. Extended-release tablets with an active ingredient content of ten milligrams are taken once a day at set times. Alfuzosin is a drug that does not have any negative effects on the body even with long-term use. It is therefore suitable for long-term treatment of prostatic hyperplasia, provided that none of the side effects described in Section 5 occur.
If you forget to take alfuzosin, you should not take double the amount as compensation. This often leads to a drop in blood pressure, which under certain circumstances - such as when operating machines - can be dangerous. In these cases, patients should instead contact their doctor and decide how to proceed.
Risks & side effects
With a frequency of more than 1%, alfuzosin can lead to general tiredness and dizziness, as well as headaches and / or abdominal pain. A general feeling of weakness is also one of the common side effects of alfuzosin.
The medication can also cause drowsiness, fainting, an increased heart rate, runny nose, diarrhea or rash. Swelling in the joints or feet can also be seen. In a very few cases, the administration of alfuzosin can also lead to angina pectoris if the patient has coronary artery disease.
This is often accompanied by severe itching. Too high a dose of alfuzosin can also lead to an abrupt drop in blood pressure immediately after standing up, which can also cause dizziness and general drowsiness.
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