Objective: To determine the effects of terazosin on blood pressure and on antihypertensive therapy when used in managing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Patients and methods: Safety data from a large, multinational study were analysed retrospectively. Normotensive and hypertensive patients received escalating dosages of terazosin for 10 weeks and were maintained on 5 or 10 mg daily doses for 16 weeks (single-blind period). After the initial treatment period, only men having sufficient improvements in International Prostate Symptom Score (> or = 30%) and in peak flow rate (> or = 10%) were randomly assigned to continue terazosin or to receive placebo for 24 weeks (double-blind period).
Results: In hypertensive patients, terazosin reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) during the single-blind period; these clinically significant reductions were maintained in patients receiving terazosin during the double-blind period. However, in normotensive and controlled hypertensive patients terazosin produced no clinically significant mean changes in SBP or DBP during either study period. Terazosin did not adversely affect patients receiving concomitant antihypertensive medication.
Conclusion: Terazosin is a safe treatment for BPH in normotensive and hypertensive men, including men who are already taking additional antihypertensive drugs.