Patient Leaflet Updated 17-May-2023 | Dexcel Pharma Ltd
Doxazosin 1mg, 2mg,4mg Tablets
DOXAZOSIN 1 mg TABLETS
DOXAZOSIN 2 mg TABLETS
DOXAZOSIN 4 mg TABLETS
(as mesilate)
1. What DOXAZOSIN is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take DOXAZOSIN
3. How to take DOXAZOSIN
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store DOXAZOSIN
6. Contents of the pack and other information
The name of your medicine is DOXAZOSIN 1 mg Tablets, DOXAZOSIN 2 mg Tablets, DOXAZOSIN 4 mg Tablets (referred to as DOXAZOSIN throughout this leaflet).
Doxazosin, the active ingredient in Doxazosin tablets, is one of a group of medicines called alpha-blockers.
DOXAZOSIN tablets are used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) or the symptoms caused by enlargement of the prostate gland in men.
In patients taking DOXAZOSIN to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) DOXAZOSIN works by relaxing blood vessels so that blood passes through them more easily. This helps to lower blood pressure.
In patients with enlargement of the prostate gland, DOXAZOSIN is taken to treat frequent and/or poor passing of urine. This is common in patients with enlargement of the prostate gland. DOXAZOSIN works by relaxing muscle around the bladder exit and prostate gland so urine is passed more easily.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking DOXAZOSIN:
If you are undergoing eye surgery because of cataract (cloudiness of the lens) please inform your eye specialist before the operation that you are using or have previously used DOXAZOSIN. This is because DOXAZOSIN may cause complications during the surgery which can be managed if your specialist is prepared in advance.
Before starting treatment with DOXAZOSIN your doctor may perform tests to rule out other conditions such as prostate cancer that may cause the same symptoms as benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate gland).
Persistent painful erections may occur very rarely. If this happens you should contact a doctor immediately.
When you start to take DOXAZOSIN you may experience faintness or dizziness caused by low blood pressure, when getting up from sitting or lying down. If you feel faint or dizzy, you should sit or lie down until you feel better and avoid situations where you might fall or hurt yourself.
Your doctor may want to measure your blood pressure regularly at the start of therapy to reduce the possibility of these effects happening.
DOXAZOSIN is not recommended for use in children or adolescents below 18 years as safety and efficacy have not yet been established. Benign prostate hyperplasia is not relevant in children.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. There are some medicines that may interact with DOXAZOSIN. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before use if you are taking any of these medicines as they may change the effect of DOXAZOSIN.
Some patients who take alpha-blocker therapy for the treatment of high blood pressure or prostate enlargement may experience dizziness or light headedness, which may be caused by low blood pressure upon sitting or standing up quickly. Certain patients have experienced these symptoms when taking medicines called PDE 5 inhibitors for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (impotence) with alpha-blockers e.g. sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil (please see Section “Warnings and precautions”). In order to reduce the likelihood that these symptoms occur, you should be on a regular daily dose of your alpha-blocker before you start drugs for erectile dysfunction.
DOXAZOSIN may lower your blood pressure even more if you are already taking other medicines to treat high blood pressure.
Please refer to section 3.
Pregnancy
The safety of using DOXAZOSIN during pregnancy has not been established. If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Breast-feeding
Small amounts of doxazosin, the active substance of DOXAZOSIN, can get into your breast milk. You should not use DOXAZOSIN during breast-feeding unless your doctor advises you to do so.
Take care if you drive or operate machinery. Your tablets may affect your ability to drive or operate machinery safely, particularly when you first start to take them. They may make you feel weak or dizzy. If you are affected, do not drive or operate machinery and contact your doctor immediately.
If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
DOXAZOSIN is usually taken once daily. DOXAZOSIN may be taken in the morning or the evening.
You can take your tablets before or after food.
You should take your tablets at the same time each day with a small amount of water.
The initial dose of DOXAZOSIN is 1mg once daily. Thereafter the dose may be gradually increased (within 1-2 weeks interval) to the recommended dose (2mg or 4mg daily).
In some circumstances the dose may be increased to a maximum of 8mg daily if you are being treated for prostate enlargement, or to a maximum of 16mg if you are being treated for high blood pressure.
You have been given a calendar pack that will help you remember to take your tablets. If you are taking more than one tablet a day, you must ignore the marking for the day, printed on the back of the blister.
Because high blood pressure is treated in order to prevent problems from arising, you may have no symptoms at all while taking DOXAZOSIN. Even if this is so and you feel well, you should not stop taking your blood pressure medication unless instructed to by your doctor.
Don't change the dose or stop taking the tablets without first checking with your doctor.
Don't wait until your tablets are finished before seeing your doctor.
If you have impression that the effect of DOXAZOSIN is too strong or too weak, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
The safety and efficacy of DOXAZOSIN in children and adolescents have not been established.
Too many tablets at once may make you unwell. If several tablets are taken it may be dangerous.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to your nearest hospital casualty department.
Do not worry. If you forget to take a tablet, leave that dose out completely. Then go on as before. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The following events have been reported in patients being treated with doxazosin. If any of these side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor.
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people
Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people
Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people
Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Store below 25°C. Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label after EXP.
The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
The active substance is doxazosin. Each tablet contains 1mg, 2mg, or 4mg of doxazosin (as mesilate).
The other ingredients are: Lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium starch glycolate (type A) and colloidal anhydrous silica.
DOXAZOSIN comes in three different strengths:
Doxazosin 1 mg tablet is a round white to off-white tablet scored on one side.
Doxazosin 2 mg tablet is a white to off-white capsule-shaped tablet scored on one side.
Doxazosin 4 mg tablet is a white to off-white capsule-shaped tablet, scored on both sides, with embossment “D4” on one side.
Doxazosin 1 mg, 2 mg and 4 mg tablets are available in calendar packs of 28 tablets in foil blister strips.
This leaflet was last revised in December 2022 .
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