Prazosin

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Prazosin hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes, including this drug. Control of high blood pressure should be part of comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, including, as appropriate, lipid control, diabetes management, antithrombotic therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Many patients will require more than one drug to achieve blood pressure goals. For specific advice on goals and management, see published guidelines, such as those of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program’s Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC). Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits. The largest and most consistent cardiovascular outcome benefit has been a reduction in the risk of stroke, but reductions in myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality also have been seen regularly. Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit. Relative risk reduction from blood pressure reduction is similar across populations with varying absolute risk, so the absolute benefit is greater in patients who are at higher risk independent of their hypertension (for example, patients with diabetes or hyperlipidemia), and such patients would be expected to benefit from more aggressive treatment to a lower blood pressure goal. Some antihypertensive drugs have smaller blood pressure effects (as monotherapy) in black patients, and many antihypertensive drugs have additional approved indications and effects (e.g., on angina, heart failure, or diabetic kidney disease). These considerations may guide selection of therapy. Prazosin hydrochloride can be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive drugs such as diuretics or beta-adrenergic blocking agents.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The dose of Prazosin Hydrochloride Capsules, USP should be adjusted according to the patient's individual blood pressure response. The following is a guide to its administration: Initial Dose 1 mg two or three times a day (see WARNINGS .) Maintenance Dose Dosage may be slowly increased to a total daily dose of 20 mg given in divided doses. The therapeutic dosages most commonly employed have ranged from 6 mg to 15 mg daily given in divided doses. Doses higher than 20 mg usually do not increase efficacy, however a few patients may benefit from further increases up to a daily dose of 40 mg given in divided doses. After initial titration some patients can be maintained adequately on a twice daily dosage regimen. Use With Other Drugs When adding a diuretic or other antihypertensive agent, the dose of prazosin hydrochloride should be reduced to 1 mg or 2 mg three times a day and retitration then carried out. Concomitant administration of prazosin hydrochloride with a PDE-5 inhibitor can result in additive blood pressure lowering effects and symptomatic hypotension; therefore, PDE-5 inhibitor therapy should be initiated at the lowest dose in patients taking prazosin hydrochloride.

ADVERSE REACTIONS Clinical trials were conducted on more than 900 patients. During these trials and subsequent marketing experience, the most frequent reactions associated with prazosin hydrochloride therapy are: dizziness 10.3%, headache 7.8%, drowsiness 7.6%, lack of energy 6.9%, weakness 6.5%, palpitations 5.3%, and nausea 4.9%. In most instances, side effects have disappeared with continued therapy or have been tolerated with no decrease in dose of drug. Less frequent adverse reactions which are reported to occur in 1–4% of patients are: Gastrointestinal: vomiting, diarrhea, constipation. Cardiovascular: edema, orthostatic hypotension, dyspnea, syncope. Central Nervous System: vertigo, depression, nervousness. Dermatologic: rash. Genitourinary: urinary frequency. EENT: blurred vision, reddened sclera, epistaxis, dry mouth, nasal congestion. In addition, fewer than 1% of patients have reported the following (in some instances, exact causal relationships have not been established): Gastrointestinal: abdominal discomfort and/or pain, liver function abnormalities, pancreatitis. Cardiovascular: tachycardia. Central Nervous System: paresthesia, hallucinations. Dermatologic: pruritus, alopecia, lichen planus. Genitourinary: incontinence, impotence, priapism. EENT: tinnitus. Other: diaphoresis, fever, positive ANA titer, arthralgia. Single reports of pigmentary mottling and serous retinopathy, and a few reports of cataract development or disappearance have been reported. In these instances, the exact causal relationship has not been established because the baseline observations were frequently inadequate. In more specific slit-lamp and funduscopic studies, which included adequate baseline examinations, no drug-related abnormal ophthalmological findings have been reported. Literature reports exist associating prazosin hydrochloride therapy with a worsening of pre-existing narcolepsy. A causal relationship is uncertain in these cases. In post-marketing experience, the following adverse events have been reported: Autonomic Nervous System: flushing. Body As A Whole: allergic reaction, asthenia, malaise, pain. Cardiovascular, General: angina pectoris, hypotension. Endocrine: gynecomastia. Heart Rate/Rhythm: bradycardia. Psychiatric: insomnia. Skin/Appendages: urticaria. Vascular (Extracardiac): vasculitis. Vision: eye pain. Special Senses: During cataract surgery, a variant of small pupil syndrome known as Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) has been reported in association with alpha-1 blocker therapy (see PRECAUTIONS ).