Hytrin (Generic)

Generic Hytrin (terazosin) is in a group of drugs called alpha-adrenergic blockers. Hytrin 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. Hytrin is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), or to improve urination in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).

Take Generic Hytrin 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.

Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of these highly unlikely but serious side effects: decreased sexual ability, easy bleeding or bruising, irregular or unusually fast heartbeat.

Other side effects include: Dizziness, drowsiness, headache, constipation, loss of appetite, fatigue, nasal congestion or dry eyes may occur the first several days as your body adjusts to the medication. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor promptly.

Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of these unlikely but serious side effects: chest pain, swelling of the hands or feet, ringing in the ears. Males - though it is unlikely to occur, if you get a painful, prolonged erection, stop using this drug and seek immediate medical attention.

Tell your doctor your medical history, especially of liver disease, kidney disease, allergies (especially drug allergies).

To avoid dizziness or fainting, get up slowly from a lying or seated position (especially when you first start using this drug or if your doctor changes your dosing). Limit your intake of alcohol and avoid getting overheated because they may increase the dizziness and drowsiness effects of this drug.

Use caution performing tasks requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery. This medication should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Consult with your doctor before breast-feeding.

Postural hypotension and syncope are usually associated with the first dose or the first few days of treatment. Hypotension and syncope can also occur when medication doses are increased abruptly or another blood pressure medication is added. In order to decrease the likelihood of excessive hypotension and syncope, terazosin is initiated at low doses and given at bedtime while lying down. The dose can be increased slowly as needed.

Prostate cancer and hypertrophy both cause similar symptoms of obstruction to the flow of urine. Prostate cancer and prostate hypertrophy can co-exist. Therefore, patients being treated for prostate hypertrophy should be evaluated to exclude the presence of prostate cancer.