Rapaflo

Generic name: Silodosin
Drug class: Alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonists

Usage of Rapaflo

Rapaflo is an alpha-adrenergic (AL-fa ad-ren-ER-jik) blocker.

Rapaflo helps relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, making it easier to urinate.

Rapaflo is used to improve urination in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).

Rapaflo is supplied as a 4mg and 8mg hard gelatin cspsules.

Rapaflo side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic Reaction to Rapaflo: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have severe dizziness, or if you feel like you might pass out.

Rapaflo lowers blood pressure and may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it. You may feel very dizzy when you first wake up. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

Common Rapaflo side effects may include:

dizziness, feeling like you might pass out;

headache;

diarrhea;

abnormal ejaculation; or

stuffy nose, sinus pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Rapaflo

You should not take Rapaflo if you are allergic to silodosin, or if you have:

severe liver disease; or

severe kidney disease.

Some drugs should not be used with Rapaflo. Your treatment plan may change if you also use:

Nefazodone;

an antibiotic - clarithromycin, Telithromycin;

antifungal medicine - itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole; or

antiviral medicine for HIV or hepatitis C - Boceprevir, cobicistat, dasabuvir, Elvitegravir, Indinavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, Nelfinavir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir Saquinavir, Telaprevir, or tipranavir.

To make sure Rapaflo is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

low blood pressure;

kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);

heart disease;

prostate cancer;

a condition for which you take a diuretic or "water pill"; or

if you are on a low-salt diet.

Silodosin can affect your pupils. If you need eye surgery, tell the surgeon about your use of this medicine, even if you no longer take it.

Rapaflo is not for use in women, and the effects of this medicine during pregnancy or in breastfeeding women are unknown.

Rapaflo is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

Relate drugs

How to use Rapaflo

Usual Adult Dose for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia:

8 mg orally once a day with a meal Comments: Patients who have difficulty swallowing may open the capsule and sprinkle the powder on a tablespoonful of applesauce. The applesauce should not be hot, and should be soft enough to be swallowed within 5 minutes without chewing and followed with 8 ounces of cool water.

Warnings

You should not take Rapaflo if you have severe kidney or liver disease.

Do not take Rapaflo together with similar medicines such as alfuzosin, doxazosin, prazosin, Tamsulosin, or Terazosin.

Silodosin may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. Avoid standing for long periods of time or becoming overheated during exercise and in hot weather. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.

Rapaflo can affect your pupils during cataract surgery. Tell your eye surgeon ahead of time that you are using this medicine. Do not stop using this medicine before surgery unless your surgeon tells you to.

There are many other drugs that can interact with silodosin. Tell your doctor about all medications you use.

What other drugs will affect Rapaflo

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can increase your risk of very low blood pressure while taking Rapaflo, especially:

medicines similar to silodosin (alfuzosin, doxazosin, prazosin, tamsulosin, or terazosin);

heart or blood pressure medication; or

sildenafil (Viagra) and other erectile dysfunction medicines.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may interact with silodosin. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

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