Terazosin

Terazosin is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure and the symptoms of enlarged prostate. Terazosin belongs to a group of drugs called alpha-blockers. It lowers blood pressure by relaxing veins and arteries so that blood can more easily pass through them. Terazosin also relieves the symptoms of enlarged prostate by relaxing the muscles of the bladder and prostate.

This medication comes in capsule form and is usually taken once a day. Terazosin can be taken with or without food.

Common side effects of terazosin include a sudden drop in blood pressure, drowsiness, and blurred vision. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how terazosin will affect you.

Terazosin is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Terazosin is also used to treat the symptoms of enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men including:

• difficulty starting a urine stream (hesitancy and straining)
• decreased strength of the urine stream (weak flow)
• dribbling after urination
• feeling that the bladder is not completely empty
• an urge to urinate again soon after urinating
• waking at night to urinate
• frequent urination
• a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate
• burning or pain during urination

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Terazosin may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Hytrin

Serious side effects have been reported. See "Drug Precautions" section.

Common ide effects you could have while taking terazosin include:

• drowsiness
• blurred or hazy vision
• nausea
• swelling of the feet or hands

This is not a complete list of terazosin side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• avanafil (Stendra)
• sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio)
• tadalafil (Cialis, Adcirca)
• vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)
• verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan)

This is not a complete list of terazosin drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported including:

• Extremely rarely, terazosin and similar medications have caused painful erection of the penis, sustained for hours and unrelieved by sexual intercourse or masturbation. This condition, known medically as priapism, is serious, and if untreated it can be followed by permanent inability to have an erection. If you have a prolonged abnormal erection, call your doctor or go to an emergency room as soon as possible.
• Tell your surgeon if you take or have taken terazosin and plan to have surgery for cataracts (clouding of the eye). During cataract surgery, a condition called Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) can happen if you take or have taken terazosin.
• Terazosin lowers blood pressure and may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it, or when you start taking it again. Call your doctor if you have severe dizziness or feel like you might pass out.

Terazosin can cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how terazosin affects you.

Do not take terazosin if you:

• are allergic to terazosin or any inactive ingredient in terazosin
• are allergic to any of the medications related to terazosin such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), and prazosin (Minipress)

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of terazosin there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving terazosin.

Before taking terazosin, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to terazosin or any inactive ingredient in terazosin
• have or have ever had prostate cancer
• have or have ever had liver disease
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

It is not known whether terazosin passes into breast milk. Because many drugs can pass in breast milk, caution should be used when terazosin is given to a nursing woman.

• Take terazosin exactly as prescribed.
• Terazosin is usually taken once daily, at around the same time each day. 
• This medication can be taken with or without food.
• If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of terazosin at the same time.

Take terazosin exactly as prescribed. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Your doctor will likely start you on a low dose and gradually increase the dose as necessary.

The terazosin dose range is 1 mg to 20 mg taken once daily.

If you take too much terazosin, call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Keep terazosin and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Store tablets below 86°F (30°C).