Prazosin
Prazosin Prescribing Information
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.
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:
Prazosin hydrochloride is contraindicated in patients with known sensitivity to quinazolines, prazosin, or any of the inert ingredients.
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:
In addition, fewer than 1% of patients have reported the following (in some instances, exact causal relationships have not been established):
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:
Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) has been observed during cataract surgery in some patients treated with alpha-1 blockers. This variant of small pupil syndrome is characterized by the combination of a flaccid iris that billows in response to intraoperative irrigation currents, progressive intraoperative miosis despite preoperative dilation with standard mydriatic drugs, and potential prolapse of the iris toward the phacoemulsification incisions. The patient’s ophthalmologist should be prepared for possible modifications to the surgical technique, such as the utilization of iris hooks, iris dilator rings, or viscoelastic substances. There does not appear to be a benefit of stopping alpha-1 blocker therapy prior to cataract surgery.
Dizziness or drowsiness may occur after the first dose of this medicine. Avoid driving or performing hazardous tasks for the first 24 hours after taking this medicine or when the dose is increased. Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur, especially when rising from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help lessen the problem. These effects may also occur if you drink alcohol, stand for long periods of time, exercise, or if the weather is hot. While taking prazosin hydrochloride, be careful in the amount of alcohol you drink. Also, use extra care during exercise or hot weather, or if standing for long periods. Check with your physician if you have any questions.
Prazosin hydrochloride has been administered without any adverse drug interaction in limited clinical experience to date with the following: (1) cardiac glycosides– digitalis and digoxin; (2) hypoglycemics–insulin, chlorpropamide, phenformin, tolazamide, and tolbutamide; (3) tranquilizers and sedatives–chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, and phenobarbital; (4) antigout– allopurinol, colchicine, and probenecid; (5) antiarrhythmics–procainamide, propranolol (see WARNINGS however), and quinidine; and (6) analgesics, antipyretics and anti-inflammatories– propoxyphene, aspirin, indomethacin, and phenylbutazone.
Addition of a diuretic or other antihypertensive agent to prazosin hydrochloride has been shown to cause an additive hypotensive effect. This effect can be minimized by reducing the prazosin hydrochloride dose to 1 to 2 mg three times a day, by introducing additional antihypertensive drugs cautiously, and then by retitrating prazosin hydrochloride based on clinical response.
Concomitant administration of prazosin hydrochloride with a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor can result in additive blood pressure lowering effects and symptomatic hypotension (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).
In a study on five patients given from 12 to 24 mg of prazosin per day for 10 to 14 days, there was an average increase of 42% in the urinary metabolite of norepinephrine and an average increase in urinary VMA of 17%. Therefore, false positive results may occur in screening tests for pheochromocytoma in patients who are being treated with prazosin. If an elevated VMA is found, prazosin should be discontinued and the patient retested after a month.
In clinical studies in which lipid profiles were followed, there were generally no adverse changes noted between pre- and post-treatment lipid levels.
No carcinogenic potential was demonstrated in an 18 month study in rats with prazosin hydrochloride at dose levels more than 225 times the usual maximum recommended human dose of 20 mg per day. Prazosin hydrochloride was not mutagenic in
In chronic studies (one year or more) of prazosin hydrochloride in rats and dogs, testicular changes consisting of atrophy and necrosis occurred at 25 mg/kg/day (75 times the usual maximum recommended human dose). No testicular changes were seen in rats or dogs at 10 mg/kg/day (30 times the usual maximum recommended human dose). In view of the testicular changes observed in animals, 105 patients on long term prazosin hydrochloride therapy were monitored for 17-ketosteroid excretion and no changes indicating a drug effect were observed. In addition, 27 males on prazosin hydrochloride for up to 51 months did not have changes in sperm morphology suggestive of drug effect.
Prazosin hydrochloride has been shown to be associated with decreased litter size at birth, 1, 4, and 21 days of age in rats when given doses more than 225 times the usual maximum recommended human dose. No evidence of drug-related external, visceral, or skeletal fetal abnormalities were observed. No drug-related external, visceral, or skeletal abnormalities were observed in fetuses of pregnant rabbits and pregnant monkeys at doses more than 225 times and 12 times the usual maximum recommended human dose, respectively.
The use of prazosin and a beta-blocker for the control of severe hypertension in 44 pregnant women revealed no drug-related fetal abnormalities or adverse effects. Therapy with prazosin was continued for as long as 14 weeks.1
Prazosin has also been used alone or in combination with other hypotensive agents in severe hypertension of pregnancy by other investigators. No fetal or neonatal abnormalities have been reported with the use of prazosin.2
There are no adequate and well controlled studies which establish the safety of prazosin hydrochloride in pregnant women. Prazosin hydrochloride should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the mother and fetus.
Prazosin hydrochloride has been shown to be excreted in small amounts in human milk. Caution should be exercised when prazosin hydrochloride is administered to a nursing woman.
Safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.
Prazosin hydrochloride has been administered without any adverse drug interaction in limited clinical experience to date with the following: (1) cardiac glycosides– digitalis and digoxin; (2) hypoglycemics–insulin, chlorpropamide, phenformin, tolazamide, and tolbutamide; (3) tranquilizers and sedatives–chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, and phenobarbital; (4) antigout– allopurinol, colchicine, and probenecid; (5) antiarrhythmics–procainamide, propranolol (see WARNINGS however), and quinidine; and (6) analgesics, antipyretics and anti-inflammatories– propoxyphene, aspirin, indomethacin, and phenylbutazone.
Addition of a diuretic or other antihypertensive agent to prazosin hydrochloride has been shown to cause an additive hypotensive effect. This effect can be minimized by reducing the prazosin hydrochloride dose to 1 to 2 mg three times a day, by introducing additional antihypertensive drugs cautiously, and then by retitrating prazosin hydrochloride based on clinical response.
Concomitant administration of prazosin hydrochloride with a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor can result in additive blood pressure lowering effects and symptomatic hypotension (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).
Prazosin Hydrochloride Capsules, USP, a quinazoline derivative, is the first of a new chemical class of antihypertensives. It is the hydrochloride salt of 1-(4-amino-6,7-dimethoxy-2-quinazolinyl)-4-(2-furoyl) piperazine and its structural formula is:
Molecular formula C19H21N5O4•HCl
It is a white, crystalline substance, slightly soluble in water and isotonic saline, and has a molecular weight of 419.87. Each 1 mg capsule of prazosin hydrochloride for oral use contains drug equivalent to 1 mg free base.
Inert ingredients in the formulations are: hard gelatin capsules (which may contain alcohol, black iron oxide, butyl alcohol, D&C Red No. 33, D&C Yellow No. 10, FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Blue No. 2, FD&C Red No. 40, gelatin, propylene glycol, shellac, titanium dioxide); lactose anhydrous; lactose monohydrate; magnesium stearate; pregelatinized starch 1500.
FDA approved dissolution test specifications differ from USP.