Information for the Patient: Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Please read this leaflet before you start taking Hytrin. Also read it each time you renew your prescription, in the event that something has changed. Remember that this leaflet does not replace careful discussions with your doctor.
Why your doctor has prescribed Hytrin?
Your doctor has prescribed Hytrin because you have a medical condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. This condition occurs only in men. Hytrin is also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), but this leaflet describes Hytrin only as a treatment for BPH.
What is BPH?
BPH is an enlargement of the prostate gland. After age 50, most men develop enlarged prostates. The prostate is located below the bladder and surrounds the urethra which is a tube that drains urine from the bladder. The symptoms of BPH, however, can be caused by an increase in the tightness of muscles in the prostate. If the muscles inside the prostate tighten, they can squeeze the urethra and slow the flow of urine. This can lead to symptoms such as:
- weak or interrupted urinary stream
- sensation that you cannot completely empty your bladder
- sensation of delay or hesitation when you start to urinate
- need to urinate often, especially at night, or
- sensation that you must urinate immediately
Treatment options for BPH
There are 3 main treatment options for BPH:
- Monitoring Program or "Watchful Waiting": If you have an enlarged prostate gland but suffer no symptoms or suffer from symptoms that are not bothersome, you and your doctor may decide to follow a monitoring program which includes regular check-ups instead of medication or surgery.
- Medication: There are different kinds of medication used to treat BPH. Your doctor has prescribed Hytrin for you. See "How does Hytrin work?", below.
- Surgery: Some patients may require surgery. Your doctor can prescribe several different surgical procedures for BPH. The procedure that is best for you, depends on your symptoms and medical condition.
How does Hytrin work?
Hytrin blocks smooth muscle receptors of the bladder neck and the prostate called alpha 1-adrenoceptors. This blockade causes the smooth muscles of the bladder neck and prostate to relax and decreases muscle tone. This can lead to a rapid improvement in urine flow and symptoms within a 2-week period. However, not all patients respond in the same way, and since each case of BPH is different, you should keep in mind the following:
- Prior to treatment with Hytrin, you should have a thorough urological evaluation to determine the severity of your condition, and to exclude the need for immediate surgery or the possibility of carcinoma of the prostate.
- Even though taking Hytrin has helped your condition, it is not known whether Hytrin reduces the need for surgery.
- Terazosin will not cure your benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Terazosin will make your urine flow better and improve the symptoms of BPH. In some patients, bothersome adverse effects will occur as a result of the terazosin therapy.
What you need to know while taking Hytrin
- You should see an effect on your symptoms in 2 to 4 weeks. While taking Hytrin, you must have regular check-ups to evaluate your progress regarding your BPH and to monitor your blood pressure. Follow your doctor's advice about when to have these check-ups.
- Hytrin can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure after the very first dose. You may feel dizzy, faint, or "light-headed", particularly after you get up from bed or from a chair. This is more likely to occur after you have taken the first few doses, but can occur at any time while you are taking the drug. It can also occur if you stop taking the drug and then restart treatment.
Because of this effect, your doctor may have told you to take Hytrin at bedtime. If you take Hytrin at bedtime but need to get up from bed to go to the bathroom, get up slowly and cautiously until you are sure how the medicine affects you. It is also important to get up slowly from a chair or bed at anytime until you learn how you react to Hytrin. You should not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do any hazardous task, until you are used to the effects of the medication. You should also avoid situations where injury could result should syncope occur during initiation of terazosin therapy. If you begin to feel dizzy, sit or lie down until you feel better.
- Other side effects you could have while taking Hytrin include drowsiness or somnolence, blurred or hazy vision, nausea, or "puffiness" of the feet or hands. Discuss any unexpected effects you notice with your doctor.
- Your doctor has prescribed Hytrin for symptomatic BPH and not for prostatic cancer. It is possible for men to have both BPH and prostate cancer at the same time. Doctors usually recommend that men be checked for prostate cancer once a year when they turn 50 ( or 40 if a family member has had prostate cancer). These checks should continue while you are taking Hytrin. Hytrin is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
- About Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Your doctor may have done a blood test called PSA. Your doctor is aware that Hytrin does not affect PSA levels. You may want to ask your doctor more about this if you have a PSA test done.
How to take Hytrin
Follow your doctor's instructions very carefully about how to take Hytrin. The starting dose is 1 mg at bedtime. The 1 mg dose should be maintained during the first week of treatment, and should be taken every day as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will then gradually increase the strength of your prescription to 2, 5 and 10 mg depending on how well you respond. Talk to your doctor if you do not take Hytrin for a few days. You may have to restart at the 1 mg dose. Be cautious about possible dizziness.
If your doctor prescribed the Starter Pack, it is important to complete the Starter Pack as indicated before starting your Hytrin prescription.
Do not share Hytrin with anyone else. It was prescribed for you only.
Notify your doctor about any illness which may develop during your treatment with Hytrin and about any new prescription or nonprescription medication you may take. If you require medical help for other reasons, inform the attending physician that you are taking Hytrin.
This medicine is prescribed for your specific medical problem and for your own use. Use only as directed and do not give to other people.
Keep all medicines out of reach of children. For more information about Hytrin and BPH, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
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