Silodosin
Description
Silodosin is a medicine used to treat the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men. It is a condition that causes enlargement of the prostate gland leading to urinary problems like difficulty in urination, increased frequency, weak urine stream, etc. This medicine works by relaxing the muscles in your urinary bladder, urethra, and prostate. Thus, it relieves the symptoms of BPH.
Silodosin has certain side effects such as headache, dizziness, diarrhoea, stuffy nose, abnormal ejaculation, etc. Consult your doctor if these side effects remain for a long time or become severe.
Silodosin should be taken as instructed by your doctor. Your doctor will determine the dose and duration of treatment based on the severity of your condition. Take this medicine with food to avoid the risk of side effects. For the ease of remembering and better results, take it at the same time every day. Avoid discontinuing this medicine without your doctor's suggestion as your symptoms may reappear.
Silodosin is not recommended if you are allergic to it. Avoid taking this medicine if you have severe liver and kidney problems. Inform your doctor if you have low blood pressure or undergoing cataract surgery (an eye surgery to replace the lens in the eyes with an artificial lens to correct the blurring of vision). Report all the medications you take including herbal supplements to your doctor as they may interact with this medication.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Silodosin
- Chills
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Low blood pressure
- Abnormal ejaculation
- Swelling of face, lips, eyelids, tongue, hands and feet
Uses of Silodosin
What is it prescribed for?
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Silodosin to show its action is not clinically established.
- Duration of effectThe amount of time for which Silodosin remains active in your body is not clinically established.
- Safe with alcohol?Avoid consumption of alcohol while taking Silodosin as it may lower your blood pressure and increase the risk of side effects like dizziness, lightheadedness, etc.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Silodosin.
- Usage in pregnancy?Silodosin is not intended for use in women.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Silodosin is not intended for use in women.
Allergy
Avoid taking Silodosin if you are allergic to it. Serious allergic reactions to this medicine are rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Severe renal impairment
Silodosin is filtered from your body by the kidneys via urine. Hence, this medicine is not recommended for use if you have severe kidney problems. It may lead to the accumulation of this medicine in your body and increase the risk of side effects.
Severe Hepatic impairment
Silodosin is broken down in your liver. Hence, this medicine is not recommended for use if you have severe liver problems as it may cause further liver damage.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Silodosin is not intended for use in women.
Breast-feeding
Silodosin is not intended for use in women.
General warnings
Use in women
Silodosin is not intended for use in women.
Cataract surgery
Cataract surgery is an eye surgery performed to replace the lens in your eyes with an artificial lens to correct the blurring of vision. Silodosin may lead to complications during cataract surgery. Hence, if you are taking this medicine, inform your doctor before undergoing surgery.
Low blood pressure
Silodosin may cause dilation of your blood vessels and lead to a decrease in blood pressure. Hence, this medicine should be used with caution if have low blood pressure.
Other medicines
Inform your doctor if you are taking any other medicines as they may interact with Silodosin and cause undesired effects.
Driving or operating machines
Silodosin may cause a decrease in blood pressure leading to symptoms like dizziness. Avoid performing activities that require high mental alertness like driving vehicles or operating machines if you experience any symptoms during treatment with this medicine.
Missed Dose
Try not to skip a dose of Silodosin. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Never take more than the prescribed dose of Silodosin. Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Avoid consumption of alcohol while taking Silodosin as it may lower your blood pressure and increase the risk of side effects like dizziness, lightheadedness, etc.
Interaction with Medicine
Alprazolam
Nefazodone
Amitriptyline
Clotrimazole
Baclofen
Chlordiazepoxide
Canagliflozin
Conivaptan
Disease interactions
Kidney impairment
Silodosin should be used with caution if you have mild to moderate kidney problems as it may increase the risk of side effects. Your doctor may suggest tests to periodically monitor your kidney function and recommend dose adjustments based on your clinical condition.
Liver impairment
Silodosin should be used with caution if you have mild to moderate liver problems as this medicine may cause further liver damage. Your doctor may suggest tests to periodically monitor your liver function while taking this medicine.
Prostate cancer
Cancer of the prostate gland has similar symptoms to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Hence, it is important to know if you have prostate cancer before starting the treatment. Your doctor may suggest tests to rule out the presence of prostate cancer before starting the treatment with this medicine.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Silodosin with food or as directed by your doctor. Do not break, chew or crush the tablet/capsule. Take this medicine for the recommended duration.
Avoid taking more than the prescribed dose as it may increase the risk of side effects.
Consult your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or become worse.
This medicine may cause a decrease in blood pressure and you may feel dizzy, especially at the beginning of the treatment. Hence, take Silodosin at bedtime so that your body can adjust to the medicine.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Silodosin works by relaxing the muscles of the bladder neck, urethra, and prostate. Thus, it relieves the symptoms of BPH.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Alpha-blockers, Genitourinary tract agents
Schedule
Schedule H
DailyMed - Silodosin capsule [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2018 [cited 26 July 2018]. Available from:
Drugs, H., 2021. Silodosin: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: < [Accessed 3 September 2021].
Allergan-web-cdn-prod.azureedge.net. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 6 September 2021].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 6 September 2021].
Ema.europa.eu. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 6 September 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 15 Mar 2022
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.