Terazosin Uses

Terazosin is prescribed to treat symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate in men. Common symptoms of BPH include urinary frequency, urgency, hesitancy, weak stream of urinary flow, dribbling, pain with urination, and incomplete bladder emptying.

Terazosin is also used, alone or with other medications, for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure).

There may be other uses of terazosin—your doctor or pharmacist can give you further drug information.

Terazosin Mechanism of Action

Terazosin works by relaxing certain muscles in the urinary bladder and prostate which allows urine to flow more easily. It lowers blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and making blood flow smoother.

Terazosin Doses

Terazosin is available in the following dosage forms: 1 mg, 2 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg capsules. The usual dose of terazosin is as follows:

For treatment of benign prostate enlargement:

The initial dose is 1 mg of terazosin at bedtime. The dose may be slowly increased to 2 mg, 5 mg, or 10 mg per day until symptom control is achieved. Most people respond to doses of 10 mg per day. Your doctor will therefore try you on 10 mg daily for at least 4-6 weeks before considering increasing the dose further. Some patients need to take a daily dose of 20 mg of terazosin.

For treatment of hypertension:

The initial dose is 1 mg terazosin at bedtime. The dose may be slowly increased up to 5 mg daily until blood pressure control is achieved. Some patients need terazosin doses of up to 20 mg per day. Doses above 40 mg daily have not been studied for safety or efficacy. Your doctor may recommend a twice daily dosing regimen depending on how long the effects of the medicine last.