The Villages Urology - Information About Alpha Blockers

Most commonly referred to as alpha blockers, Alpha-Adrenergic Antagonists block the action of sympathetic nerves located on blood vessels, by binding to the alpha-adrenoreceptors that are on the smooth muscle. These are the most commonly prescribed medications for men who are dealing with BPH symptoms and generally fall into a few key categories. Alpha blockers are usually indicated for men with mild to moderate issues with BPH, and also must be taken consistently and for life. Studies on these began in the eighties, looking at alpha-adrenoreceptors for use in enlarged prostates. Because alpha-adrenoreceptors are in the prostate gland, alpha-adrenoreceptor blocking medications are usually most effective. This reduces bladder neck and prostate muscle contractions, and as a result, the symptoms associated with that are relieved. The four alpha blockers that are often prescribed are Terazosin (Hytrin), Alfuzosin (Uroxatral), Tamsulosin (Flomax), and Doxazosin (Cardura). All four of these have been shown to have fairly good effectiveness, with side effects and cost varying. Also, these may depend on other medications in order to work properly.

The thing to remember about the medications here, is that they are not a cure for BPH. These medications simply treat the side effects but not the cause and should not be seen as the end of the line in treatment, at all. As a relief of these symptoms, alpha blockers are a fairly effective course of treatment, however, as the prostate continues to grow in size, other options may need to be discussed in addition to higher doses.
As well, as time goes on, often these medications begin to lose effectiveness, and increasing the dosages to keep up may also increase the side effects of each. Many men are leery of these medications due to the associated risks of sexual side effects and instead wish to opt for TUNA or surgical options to address the core issues causing the symptoms, rather than just treat them.
Also, alpha blockers shouldn't be combined with general anesthetics, diuretics, MAOIs, and phosphodiesterase inhibitors as well as the more common drugs for ED such as Cialis and Viagra, due to bad drug interaction.


Many men find that in talking with their doctor about the various alpha blockers out there, they would prefer to treat the prostate itself in cases where BPH causes urinary symptoms. However, alpha blockers do offer the least invasiveness, and have none of the risks associated with surgical procedures or the need for catheterizing. Being able to openly discuss this treatment option with your doctor, as well as other forms of treating urinary issues due to BPH is best, as well because often medications for blood pressure may require additional monitoring to make sure that there is not an adverse reaction there. Be sure to check with your doctor about any concerns you have with the medications you already take when thinking about alpha blockers. Maintaining regular office visits with your doctor while you are using alpha blockers will be important to ensure that the medication and dose is still right for you.