PatientsLikeMe ™

all
Skip over navigation
Join Now (It's free!)

Already a member? Log in

Share your real-world treatment experience
with patients just like you.
Select a community
All Communities

What is the most important information I should know about alfuzosin?

Do not use alfuzosin if you have severe liver disease, or if you are also using ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ritonavir (Norvir).

Alfuzosin can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Stop using alfuzosin and call your doctor at once if you have new or worsening chest pain, or if you feel light-headed.

Alfuzosin can affect the pupils of your eyes during cataract surgery. If you have cataract surgery during your treatment with alfuzosin, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are taking this medication. Do not stop using alfuzosin before surgery unless your surgeon tells you to.

Warning

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.

Back to Treatment Report

What is alfuzosin?

Alfuzosin is in a group of drugs called alpha-adrenergic blockers. Alfuzosin helps relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate.

Alfuzosin is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).

Alfuzosin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.


Precautions

You should not use alfuzosin if you have:

  • severe liver disease; or
  • if you are also using ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ritonavir (Norvir).

Before taking alfuzosin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

  • prostate cancer;
  • liver disease;
  • kidney disease;
  • a personal or family history of a heart rhythm disorder called Long QT syndrome;
  • angina (chest pain);
  • coronary artery disease (such as arteriosclerosis);
  • low blood pressure;
  • a history of an allergic reaction to alfuzosin;
  • if you are taking another alpha-blocker such as terazosin (Hytrin), prazosin (Minipress), doxazosin (Cardura), or guanadrel (Hylorel) for high blood pressure or prostate problems;
  • if you are taking an antifungal medicine such as ketoconazole (Nizoral) or itraconazole (Sporanox); or
  • if you are taking certain medicines to treat HIV or AIDS.

FDA pregnancy category B. Although alfuzosin is not for use in women, this medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. If you are a woman using this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether alfuzosin passes into breast milk, or if it could harm a nursing baby. If you are a woman using this medication, do not take alfuzosin without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Alfuzosin can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

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.

Back to top

Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include weakness, dizziness, a fast but weak pulse, cold or clammy skin, and feeling light-headed or fainting.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Back to top

Side-effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using alfuzosin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

  • new or worsening chest pain;
  • fainting; or
  • penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • dizziness or drowsiness;
  • tired feeling;
  • headache;
  • diarrhea; or
  • sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

Back to top

Interactions

Before taking alfuzosin, tell your doctor if you use any of the following medicines:

  • ritonavir (Norvir);
  • atenolol (Tenormin);
  • diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor XR, Diltia XT, Tiazac);
  • cimetidine (Tagamet); or
  • another medicine to treat high blood pressure or prostate problems.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with alfuzosin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Back to top

Disclaimer

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 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04

Back to top