Alpha Blockers
The Alpha 2 antagonists have been used for decades to treat common medical conditions such as high blood pressure, hyperactivity disorder, symptoms of opioids, pain and panic disorders, benzodiazepines, and alcohol withdrawal. Alpha blocker drugs are also called alpha adrenergic blockers/antagonists. They treat conditions like high blood pressure and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). These drugs relax the muscles and help small blood vessels to remain open. They prevent the hormone norepinephrine (noradrenaline) from contracting the muscles in the walls of smaller arteries and veins. Blocking that effect causes the vessels to remain open and relaxed. This improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
Alpha antagonist drugs also help patients pass larger stones that may require surgical procedures. Although, these alpha blocker medications have an off-label use in the management. Therefore, alpha blockers for kidney stones should be used under the guidance of a doctor.
What are Alpha-Blockers?
Alpha blockers medication is sometimes used to manage and treat essential hypertension (high blood pressure). They are not typically prescribed as the first choice of medicine for hypertensive patients but are often used alongside other medicines. Alpha blockers for hypertension should be used under the supervision of a doctor. Hypertension is the biggest public health concern. It is increasingly recognized as a major cause of stroke, renal problems, and cardiovascular disease. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of heart complications. These medicines lower blood pressure by keeping the hormone norepinephrine from tightening the muscles in the walls of smaller arteries and veins. This allows blood vessels to remain open and relaxed to enhance blood flow and lower blood pressure.
Alpha-blockers also effectively treat problems with passing urine in men with prostate gland enlargement. Prostate gland enlargement is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A patient with an enlarged prostate often experiences problems with urine, such as a slow urinary stream, trouble starting urination, frequent urination, the urgency to urinate, waking up at night to urinate, etc. Because alpha-blockers cause the relaxation of muscles throughout the body, these drugs also help improve urine flow in older men with prostate issues.
How do Alpha-Blockers work?
Alpha-blockers are prescription drugs that affect the sympathetic nervous system and inhibit alpha receptors' action. These receptors are of two types: alpha 1 and alpha receptor 2:
Examples of Alpha-Blockers
Alpha-blocker medicines are either short-acting or long-acting. Short-acting drugs work quickly, but their effects last only a few hours. On the other hand, long-acting drugs take longer to act, but their effects last longer. The alpha-blocker that suits you depends on your health and treated condition. Examples of such medicines that are used to treat high blood pressure include:
The decision to use this drug in treatment usually depends on whether the symptoms are very annoying.
What is the duration of treatment?
Taking other Medicines with Alpha-Blockers
Several drugs should usually be avoided if you have been prescribed alpha-blocker treatment. These include Sildenafil for erectile dysfunction and antidepressants such as tricyclic antidepressants, venlafaxine, or mirtazapine. When any of this medicine is combined with an alpha-blocker, you may experience a sudden drop in blood pressure.
Side Effects and Contraindications
When you begin treatment with alpha-blocker drugs, you might develop low blood pressure and dizziness, making you faint when standing in a sitting or lying position. Due to this, the first dose is often taken at bedtime. Other alpha-blockers side effects include headache, weakness, dizziness, and a pounding heartbeat.
Preventing the unwanted effects of medications on the elderly requires special care and communication between doctors and nurses. Alpha-blockers can have significant interactions with other medicines and have similar side effects. The administration of these medicines requires close supervision of a doctor to prevent side effects, especially in older people.
Alpha-blockers are generally safe when used under a doctor’s guidance. Caution should be used when starting older adults on alpha-blockers. This group has multiple risk factors that make orthostatic hypotension, a common side effect of alpha-blockers, a concern.
Your doctor will recommend the best time to take alpha-blockers. Alpha-blockers are not the first-line treatments for high blood pressure. Instead, they are prescribed in combination with other drugs, such as diuretics, when high blood pressure is hard to control. Treatment may vary from person to person; it depends on an individual’s condition and response to treatment.
Medication is the most common treatment for men with mild to moderate symptoms of prostate enlargement. In mild to moderate cases, alpha-blockers relax bladder neck muscles and muscle fibres in the prostate, making urination easier for moderate to severe cases and where medication hasn’t relieved your symptoms.
Urimax should be taken approximately half an hour following the meal every day. It is best to use this medicine exactly as advised by the doctor.
Tamsulosin, Doxazosin, Prazosin, and Alfuzosin are the common alpha blockers.