Tung

Alpha-blockers, like beta-blockers, are not meant to be used as an initial treatment to hypertension. This is because alpha-blockers must be used in consonance with other anti-hypertensive agents. Alpha-blockers are used for medication of systolic and diastolic hypertension as well as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Despite its ability to combat adverse effects of hypertension as first-line treatment, experts recommend alpha-blockers to be good in lipid improvement and glucose level management in diabetic patients.

Alpha-blockers work by helping to ease and relax the prostate muscles and accommodate the continuous flow of urine out of the bladder. This process however cannot be done alone and that is medication of other blood pressure lowering agents must also be applied to a hypertension patient. Alpha-blockers are taken orally once or twice a day. Not all alpha-blockers are specified for high blood pressure cases. Products like alfuzosin and tamsulosin are the exceptions.

Doctors also recommend the use of alpha-blockers to patients who have been previously treated with other anti-hypertensives. Diuretics for example induce frequent urination to patients. Alpha-blockers work very well with male patients as suggested by the study of the American Urological Association or AUA that showed remarkable improvement of urinal activity in patients in 2- 3 weeks time.

To harness more of the treating potential of alpha-blockers drug interaction must be considered. The National Institutes of Health of NIH in the United States report that a dual in take of doxazosin (an alpha-blocker) and finasteride (another agent) can lower the risk of worsening its side effects.

The side effects of alpha-blockers are dependent on dosage and background of a patient. Erectile dysfunction however is not one of them.

* Weakness

* Fainting and dizziness

* Headaches

* Nasal Congestion

Further studies have recently shown superiority of other anti-hypertensive agents to alpha-blockers. One study reported that in a test of four agents, alpha-blockers do not seem to have exuded advantage over the others. There was no significant variation of side effects also found in the four agents in terms of worsening conditions.

In a separate lab re-evaluation by a large organization called Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT), alpha-blockers are to be used as the initial medication otherwise used as treatment for both high blood pressure and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Another review however revealed that alpha-blockers exhibit more dizziness and fainting side effects on patients than other anti-hypertensive. This can be prevented, though, by starting with low dosage.