Cardura is commonly used to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate and to lower high blood pressure. It works by relaxing the muscles of the prostate and bladder. At the same time, it relaxes the blood vessels in the body to help lower blood pressure. Cardura is available in tablet form and is typically taken once a day. Potential side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, and fatigue.
Cardura
® (
doxazosin mesylate) is a prescription medicine that has been licensed for the following uses:
Cardura is made by Pfizer, Inc. Several manufacturers make
generic Cardura.
Cardura is part of a class of drugs known as alpha blockers. The drug works by blocking alpha-1 receptors. These receptors are found in several places of the body and have many different effects.
When used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (
BPH), blocking alpha-1 receptors helps to relax the muscles of the prostate and the bladder neck (where urine leaves the bladder). Cardura does not shrink the prostate, however, as some other BPH medications do. By relaxing the muscles of the prostate and bladder, Cardura helps to quickly relieve BPH symptoms.
When used to treat
high blood pressure (
hypertension), blocking alpha-1 receptors helps to relax the blood vessels throughout the body. Tightly constricted blood vessels can be one of the
causes of high blood pressure. By relaxing the vessels, they become wider and allow the blood to flow more easily. This decreases the pressure in the vessels.