Xatral SR
Note: If this brand is out of stock, another brand will be send to you. Active ingredient and concentration will be the same.
How does it work?
This medicine contains the active ingredient alfuzosin hydrochloride, which belongs to a class of medicines called alpha-blockers. It works by blocking alpha receptors that are found in the muscle in the prostate gland.
The prostate gland, which is found only in men, lies at the top of the tube connecting the bladder to the outside (urethra). The prostate gland often enlarges with advancing age (benign prostatic hyperplasia), pressing on the urethra and obstructing the flow of urine from the bladder. This can cause various urinary symptoms such as poor flow of urine.
Alfuzosin blocks alpha receptors in the muscle of the prostate gland, which causes the muscle in the prostate to relax. This allows urine to flow freely past the prostate and relieves the urinary symptoms.
What is it used for?
- Enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia)
Warning!
- The first dose of this medicine may cause dizziness, light-headedness or fainting. For this reason you should take the first dose, and preferably each dose, just before retiring to bed at night. Take care when moving from lying down to sitting or standing, particularly if you wake up in the night, until you know how this medicine affects you. If you feel dizzy or light-headed at any time during treatment, sit or lie down until the symptoms pass.
- Blood pressure should be monitored regularly during treatment with this medicine.
- This medicine may cause fatigue and dizziness. You should take care when performing potentially hazardous activites, such as driving or operating machinery, until you know how this medicine affects you and are sure you can perform such activities safely.
Use with caution in
- Allergy to alpha-blockers
- Angina pectoris
- Decreased blood supply to the heart (coronary insufficiency)
- Decreased kidney function
- Decreased liver function
- Elderly people
- Individuals taking blood pressure lowering medication
Not to be used in
- History of drops in blood pressure when moving from sitting to standing, which causes dizziness (postural hypotension)
- People taking other alpha-blockers
- Severely decreased liver function
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Label warnings
- This medication may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- A drop in blood pressure that occurs when going from lying down to sitting or standing, which results in dizziness and lightheadedness (postural hypotension)
- Drowsiness
- Awareness of your heartbeat (palpitations)
- Flushing
- Excessive fluid retention in the body tissues, resulting in swelling (oedema)
- Weakness or loss of strength (asthenia)
- Chest pain
- Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
- Fainting (syncope)
- Rash or itching
- Disturbances of the gut such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain
- Balance problems involving the inner ear (vertigo)
- Dizziness
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How can this medicine affect other medicines?
When taken in combination with blood pressure lowering medicines there may be a large fall in blood pressure, which can lead to dizziness or fainting. This is most likely to occur with the first dose of this medicine and can be alleviated by lying down until the symptoms have completely disappeared.
This medicine should not be taken with other alpha blockers such as prazosin and doxazosin.
