Prazosin: What is it and what is it used for?

What is prazosin?

Prazosin is a pharmaceutical drug listed as an active ingredient, which belongs to the line of alpha-blocker drugs with a vasodilator effect on blood vessels, to relieve some conditions of the cardiovascular system and other diseases. (1)

What is prazosin used for?

• Thanks to its mechanism of action, prazosin acts as an inhibitor on alpha-1 adrenergic receptors, to relax blood vessels and allow blood to flow more easily through the body’s veins and arteries, helping to correct high blood pressure .
• It is used to treat:
  • Essential hypertension (primary and secondary) of any degree of severity and diverse etiology. (two)
  • Left ventricular heart failure.
  • Urinary obstruction caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia.
  • Raynaud’s syndrome.

Dosage and routes of administration of prazosin

Prazosin is sold in presentations of 1 mg, 2 mg or 5 mg in the form of tablets, according to the manufacturing laboratory. The administration is orally and the informative dosage can be as follows:

• As monotherapy in arterial hypertension: Initial dose of 0.5 mg two or three times a day, with medical supervision and gradually adjust the dose.
• Left ventricular failure: A first dose of 0.5 mg two to four times a day and gradually adjust the dose according to medical indication.
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia: Start with 0.5 mg/day for 3 to 7 days, until a maintenance dose is achieved.
• Raynaud’s disease: An initial dose of 0.5 mg three times a day is suggested, until the tolerance dose is reached under medical supervision.

What products contain prazosin?

Among the drugs that contain prazosin or are of similar action, are the following:

• Minipres®
• Prazosin®
• Hytrin®
• Adecur®

Minipres®

• Minipres® is a synthetic drug that contains prazosin as an active ingredient, which comes in 1 mg tablets.
• It is indicated to control high blood pressure .

Prazosin®

• Prazosin® is a pharmaceutically manufactured medicine that uses prazosin as an active ingredient, which is sold in 1 mg tablets.
• It is indicated as a peripheral vasodilator , decreasing peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure.

Hytrin®

• Hytrin® is a synthetic medicine that uses terazosin as an active ingredient, in a 5 mg presentation.
• It is indicated in the treatment of arterial hypertension .

Adecur®

• Adecur® is a medicine that contains terazosin as an active ingredient in its formula, in a concentration of 2 mg.
• It is indicated to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate .

Side Effects of Prazosin

Clinical data indicate that therapeutic treatment with prazosin may cause some of the following adverse effects in certain patient populations:

• Possible allergic reactions in that patient who has contact with any component of the formula.
• Central nervous system disorders such as dizziness, drowsiness, headache and loss of consciousness.
• Orthostatic hypotension and nasal congestion.
• Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
• Lack of energy and weakness.
• Nausea, syncope.
• Abdominal discomfort or pain , constipation , diarrhea , pancreatitis, and vomiting .
• Tinnitus

Important: If you notice the appearance of any of these symptoms or another not included in this list, please stop using it and see a doctor .

Contraindications and warnings of prazosin

The use of prazosin is contraindicated in the following situations:

• Patient hypersensitivity to any of the components of the formula.
• Patients with kidney failure.
• During the pregnancy period.
• During breastfeeding .
• Children under 12 years old.

To emphasize: Provide all information about your health history to your doctor, before starting treatment with prazosin.

Avoid it if you have:

• History of known hypersensitivity to quinolones, prazosin, or any of the inert ingredients.

Warnings:

• Pharmacological products such as prazosin must be administered with a prescription or prescription.
• Avoid driving vehicles or operating precision machinery during treatment with this medicine.
• Do not consume this product with the intake of alcoholic beverages.
• Keep this drug out of the reach of children.
• Follow your doctor’s instructions while taking prazosin.