Xatral, an alpha blocker does it elevate heart rate?

[Malhouse]

am in permanent Af and take 190 mg Dilzem per day. Heart rate is controlled and hovers around sixties. My urologist prescribed Xartal an alpha blocker to manage my bladder muscle weakness which is causing urinary difficulties. Took 10 mg/ day for 10 days and saw improvement of urine flow and stream. Unfortunately, my heart rate was elevated to the upper seventies and eighties. As a result I stopped this medication and am now back having urination difficulties.Any body here have similar experiences.

Thanks

[Hidden]

I take an alpha blocker and have not noticed any tachycardia. Aren’t they like beta blockers, tending to suppress the hormones that can cause any of the hormones that can cause tachycardias. Rather I believe they would slow the heart rate and sometimes drop the blood pressure.

That said NICE-BNF mention arrhythmias and palpitations as potential adverse effects

[Ppiman]

I take Xatral XL (alfuzosin 10mg slow release) daily for likely the same reason you are, namely BPH and associated LUT (I love all these acronyms). I was switched by a cardiologist from doxazosin as he felt that might lower my blood pressure too much, being less bladder selective.

I was first switched to tamsulosin, which, I read was perhaps a little more selective - and one you might try - but it wasn't effective enough at standard dose (not that I find any of the drugs work very well to reduce urinary frequency at night-time). So far as I can tell, Xatral has had no untoward effects. I do get an elevated heart rate all-too easily but I don;t think that is caused by either doxazosin or alfuzosin. You have made me think, though!

The problem with all receptor "agonist" (i.e. blocker) drugs is, I gather, that there are receptors in various organs, so these "alpha-" and "beta-" blockers are rarely entirely selective and are unable fully to target a specific organ.

Steve

[Millbrook in reply to Ppiman]

My husband is on Xatral 10 mg and it lowered his blood pressure such that he could reduce his blood pressure meds. He is also on 150 mg flecanide 2x a day and half a tablet of concor 2.5 mg. His heart rate is low in the 50s so I don’t think Xatral elevates his heart rate

[Ppiman in reply to Millbrook]

That’s interesting. My BP was normal when I was put on losartan blood pressure tablets as the specialist said they would be helpful in the long term to protect my heart. He said he viewed doxazosin as, primarily, a drug to lower blood pressure - hence the change to alfuzosin, which isn’t supposed to do that.

Steve

[Millbrook in reply to Ppiman]

when he started on Xatral his blood pressure got too low and so his diovan was reduced from 160 mg to 80 mg.

[Ppiman]

I haven’t noticed any change. I’ll take my blood pressure soon to see. Thanks for letting me know.

Steve