Cardura

Brand name: Cardura, Cardura XL, Doxadura, Cascor, Carduran
Generic name: doxazosin (dox AY zo sin)
Active ingredient: doxazosin mesylate
Package: tablet 2mg BRAND, N 20 tabs

Cardura relaxes your veins and arteries so that blood can more easily pass through them. It also relaxes the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate.

Usage:
Cardura is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), or to improve urination in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).
Cardura may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Dosage:
The dose of Cardura (doxazosin mesylate) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
* Your age
* The medical condition you are being treated for
* Other medical conditions you may have
* Other medications you may be taking
* How you respond to Cardura.
General dosing:
Cardura dosing typically starts at 1 mg a day and then is increased slowly to prevent side effects. The maximum dose for people taking the medication for an enlarged prostate is 8 mg a day; it's 16 mg a day for people taking it for hypertension. When Cardura dosing is first started, your blood pressure is checked frequently and then is checked again when the dosage is increased.
Cardura Dosing to Start:
When you first begin taking Cardura (for either BPH or hypertension), you will need to start at the lowest dose (1 mg daily). If you stop taking Cardura, even for just a few days, you will need to restart with the lowest dose to prevent side effects. After the first dose, your Cardura dose may be increased slowly.

Cardura Dosing for BPH:
For benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the dose may be increased to Cardura 2 mg a day if necessary. After that, the dose can be increased to 4 mg daily, and then 8 mg daily if needed. There should be at least one to two weeks in between dose increases, and your blood pressure should be checked each time. The maximum dose for BPH is Cardura 8 mg, taken once daily.
Cardura Dosing for High Blood Pressure:
For high blood pressure (hypertension), the Cardura dose may be increased to 2 mg daily if necessary. This is based on your blood pressure readings taken two to six hours and one day after the first dose. If needed, the dose can continue to be doubled until a maximum of 16 mg a day is reached. The dose should always be increased slowly, and blood pressure readings should be taken each time the dose is increased.
As with any medication, do not adjust your Cardura dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.

How must Cardura be used?
Take Cardura exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.
Cardura lowers blood pressure and may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it, or when you start taking it again. Call your doctor if you have severe dizziness or feel like you might pass out.
You may feel very dizzy when you first wake up. Be careful when standing or sitting up from a lying position.
If you stop taking Cardura for any reason, call your doctor before you start taking it again. You may need a dose adjustment.
Your blood pressure or prostate will need to be checked often. Visit your doctor regularly.
If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using Cardura even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.
Some things can cause your blood pressure to get too low. This includes vomiting, diarrhea, heavy sweating, heart disease; dialysis, a low-salt diet, or taking diuretics (water pills). Tell your doctor if you have a prolonged illness that causes diarrhea or vomiting.

Warnings;
You should not use Cardura if you are allergic to doxazosin or similar medicines such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), prazosin (Minipress), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), or terazosin (Hytrin).
If you have liver disease or a history of prostate cancer, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Cardura.
Cardura can affect your pupils during cataract surgery. Tell your eye surgeon ahead of time that you are using doxazosin. Do not stop using Cardura before surgery unless your surgeon tells you to.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Cardura will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. It is not known whether doxazosin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use Cardura without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Precautions:
Cardura may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
To prevent dizziness, avoid standing for long periods of time or becoming overheated during exercise and in hot weather.
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.
Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of Cardura.

Side effects:
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Cardura: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
* feeling like you might pass out;
* fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest;
* trouble breathing;
* swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet; or
* Penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer.

Less serious Cardura side effects may include:
* mild dizziness;
* tired feeling, drowsiness;
* headache;
* nausea; or
* runny nose.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Missed 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.
If you miss your doses for several days in a row, contact your doctor before restarting the medication. You may need a lower dose.

Over dose:
Seek emergency medical attention. Overdose symptoms may include:
* extreme dizziness or fainting.

Keeping:
Store Cardura at room temperature away from moisture and heat.