What is the most important information I should know about alfuzosin?
You should not take alfuzosin if you have moderate to severe liver disease.
There are many other drugs that can interact with alfuzosin. Tell your doctor about all medications you use.
What is alfuzosin?
Alfuzosin is an alpha-adrenergic (AL-fa ad-ren-ER-jik) blocker. Alfuzosin helps relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate.
Alfuzosin is used to improve urination in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).
Alfuzosin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking alfuzosin?
You should not take alfuzosin if you are allergic to it, or if you have:
- moderate to severe liver disease.
Some medicines can interact with alfuzosin and should not be used at the same time. Your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you use any of the following drugs:
- imatinib;
- isoniazid;
- nefazodone;
-
an antibiotic --clarithromycin, telithromycin;
-
antifungal medicine --itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole;
-
heart medication --nicardipine, quinidine;
-
antiviral medicine to treat hepatitis C or HIV/AIDS --atazanavir, boceprevir, cobicistat, delavirdine, fosamprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir; or
-
medicines similar to alfuzosin --doxazosin, prazosin, silodosin, tamsulosin, or terazosin.
To make sure alfuzosin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- low blood pressure, or a history of low blood pressure caused by taking medications;
- kidney disease;
- a personal or family history of long QT syndrome;
- heart disease, angina (chest pain), high blood pressure;
- coronary artery disease (hardened arteries);
- a history of prostate cancer; or
- a condition for which you take a nitrate medication (such as nitroglycerin).
Alfuzosin can affect your pupils during cataract surgery. Tell your eye surgeon ahead of time that you are using this medicine.
Although alfuzosin is not for use in women, this medicine is not expected to harm an unborn baby or a nursing baby. If you are a woman and you take alfuzosin, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Alfuzosin is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
How should I take alfuzosin?
Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Alfuzosin is usually taken once daily just after a meal. Do not take alfuzosin on an empty stomach. Take the medicine at the same time each day.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow it whole.
Alfuzosin lowers blood pressure and may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it. You may feel very dizzy when you first wake up. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
While using alfuzosin, your blood pressure and prostate will need to be checked often.
Some things can cause your blood pressure to get too low. This includes vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating. Call your doctor if you have a prolonged illness that causes diarrhea or vomiting.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while taking alfuzosin?
This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Drinking alcohol with this medicine can cause side effects.
What are the possible side effects of alfuzosin?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
- new or worsening chest pain;
- upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
- penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.
Common side effects may include:
- dizziness;
- headache;
- feeling tired; or
- cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect alfuzosin?
Many drugs can interact with alfuzosin, and some drugs should not be used together. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with alfuzosin. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about alfuzosin.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 8.02. Revision date: 1/29/2016.
