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Alpha Blocker Tamsulosin: Side Effects and Dosage

Mechanism of Action of Tamsulosin

Tamsulosin is a selective α_1A and α_1D blocker with a long half-life and favorable cardiovascular side effects. Please see section general pharmacology of alpha blocker.

**Structural formula of tamsulosin**

Indications for Tamsulosin

Treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Off-label treatment of female LUTS due to neurogenic bladder neck obstruction.
Off-label treatment: improve the spontaneous passage of distal ureteral stones.

Pharmacokinetics of Tamsulosin

Elimination half-life 12 h
The OCAS-preparation (Oral Controlled Absorption System) allows a single daily dosing.

Side Effects of Tamsulosin

Decreased side effect profile since tamsulosin is a selective α_1A and α_1D blocker.

Hypotension, orthostatic syncope, reflex tachycardia
Stuffy nose
Retrograde ejaculation
Dizziness, weakness
Overall rate of side effects is between 10–30%.

Contraindications of Tamsulosin

Urological Contraindications:

Conservative treatment of BPH with tamsulosin is not indicated, if surgical treatment is imperative: chronic urinary retention with renal failure, recurrent hematuria due to prostatic enlargement, recurrent infections and bladder stones.

Cardiac Contraindications:

Hypotension, mechanical heart failure (valvular, pulmonary embolism, pericarditis), congestive heart failure.

Other contraindications:

Tamsulosin should be paused perioperatively for cataract surgery to prevent an intraoperative floppy iris syndrome.

Dosage of Tamsulosin

0.4 mg orally once daily.

Doxazosin

Index

Alfuzosin

Index: 1–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

References

Chapple 2004 CHAPPLE, C. R.: Pharmacological therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms: an overview for the practising clinician.
In: BJU Int
94 (2004), Nr. 5, S. 738–44

M. G. Lucas, T. P. Stephenson, and V. Nargund, “Tamsulosin in the management of patients in acute urinary retention from benign prostatic hyperplasia,” BJU Int, vol. 95, no. 3, pp. 354–7, 2005.

M. Oelke and Fran&Atilde, “Monotherapy with tadalafil or tamsulosin similarly improved lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia in an international, randomised, parallel, placebo-controlled clinical trial.,” Eur. Urol., vol. 61, no. 5, pp. 917–925, 2012.

Deutsche Version: Tamsulosin