Lower Blood Pressure

Control your high blood pressure with Minipress

Minipress Description

Minipress is the generic name for the heart medication drug Prazosin, and is part of a family of medicines called antihypertensives. It is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure causes an additional workload for the heart and the arteries. Over an extended period of time, this can cause the cardiovascular system to malfunction, as it causes damage to the heart, and circulatory system, plus certain organs such as the kidneys. If this is untreated it may lead to a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or kidney failure.

Beneficial Effects of Minipress

Minipress (or Prazosin) works by relaxing the blood vessels so that blood passes through them more easily. This helps to reduce the stress on the heart and the circulatory system. Minipress may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.

How to take Minipress

Many patients who have high blood pressure will not notice any symptoms or signs of the problem. In fact, many may feel normal. It is very important that you take your medicine exactly as directed and that you keep your appointments with your doctor even if you feel well. Minipress should be taken at the same time each day.

Minipress Dosage

The initial dose of Minipress is likely to start at 0.5 or 1 milligram (mg) two or three times a day. Your doctor may then slowly increase your dose to 6 to 15 mg a day, divided into two or three doses.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, you should take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take double doses.

Side Effects of Minipress

As with any drug, side effects are possible, along with the beneficial effects. You should consult your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position; fainting (sudden)
• Drowsiness; headache; lack of energy
• Dry mouth; nervousness; unusual tiredness or weakness
• Loss of bladder control; pounding heartbeat; swelling of feet or lower legs
• Frequent urge to urinate; nausea

However, if you experience any of the following more serious side effects you should consult a doctor immediately:

• Chest pain
• Painful inappropriate erection of the penis
• Shortness of breath

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

Storage instructions for Minipress

• Keep out of the reach of children
• Store away from heat and direct light
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children

Precautions relating to Minipress (Prazosin)

It is important to understand that Minipress will not cure your high blood pressure, but it does help to control it. Therefore, you must continue to take it as directed if you expect to lower your blood pressure and keep it down. You may have to take high blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.

In deciding to use a heart medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For Minipress, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to prazosin, doxazosin, or terazosin. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substance, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Limited use of Prazosin to control high blood pressure in pregnant women has not shown that prazosin causes birth defects or other problems. Studies in animals given many times the highest recommended human dose of Prazosin also have not shown that prazosin causes birth defects. However, in rats given many times the highest recommended human dose, lower birth weights were seen.

Breast-feeding—Prazosin passes into breast milk in small amounts. However, it has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children—Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of Prazosin in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults—Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting (especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position) may be more likely to occur in the elderly, who are more sensitive to the effects of prazosin. In addition, prazosin may reduce tolerance to cold temperatures in elderly patients.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of Minipress. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Angina (chest pain)
• Heart disease (severe)—Prazosin may make these conditions worse 
• Kidney disease—Possible increased sensitivity to the effects of prazosin

Additional Information about Minipress

Once a medicine has been approved for a certain use, it may be found to be effective in treating other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, Minipress may be used under the guidance of a doctor for the following medical conditions:

• Congestive heart failure 
• Ergot alkaloid poisoning 
• Pheochromocytoma 
• Raynaud’s disease 
• Benign enlargement of the prostate (although it will not shrink the size of your prostate, it may help to relieve the symptoms).

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