Doxazosin Mesylate

Doxazosin mesylate tablets are indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.

Doxazosin mesylate tablets are indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes, including this drug.

Control of high blood pressure should be part of comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, including, as appropriate, lipid control, diabetes management, antithrombotic therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Many patients will require more than one drug to achieve blood pressure goals. For specific advice on goals and management, see published guidelines, such as those of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program’s Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC).

Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits. The largest and most consistent cardiovascular outcome benefit has been a reduction in the risk of stroke, but reductions in myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality also have been seen regularly.

Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit. Relative risk reduction from blood pressure reduction is similar across populations with varying absolute risk, so the absolute benefit is greater in patients who are at higher risk independent of their hypertension (for example, patients with diabetes or hyperlipidemia), and such patients would be expected to benefit from more aggressive treatment to a lower blood pressure goal.

Some antihypertensive drugs have smaller blood pressure effects (as monotherapy) in Black patients, and many antihypertensive drugs have additional approved indications and effects (e.g., on angina, heart failure, or diabetic kidney disease). These considerations may guide selection of therapy.

Doxazosin mesylate tablets may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensives.

Following the initial dose and with each dose increase of doxazosin mesylate tablets, monitor blood pressure for at least 6 hours following administration. If doxazosin mesylate tablets administration is discontinued for several days, therapy should be restarted using the initial dosing regimen.

The recommended initial dosage of doxazosin mesylate tablets is 1 mg given once daily either in the morning or evening.

Depending on the individual patient’s urodynamics and BPH symptomatology, the dose may be titrated at 1 to 2 week intervals to 2 mg, and thereafter to 4 mg and 8 mg once daily. The maximum recommended dose for BPH is 8 mg once daily.

Routinely monitor blood pressure in these patients.

The initial dosage of doxazosin mesylate tablets is 1 mg given once daily. Daily dosage may be doubled up 16 mg once daily, as needed, to achieve the desired reduction in blood pressure.

Postural hypotension with or without symptoms (e.g., dizziness) may develop within a few hours following administration of doxazosin mesylate. However, infrequently, symptomatic postural hypotension has also been reported later than a few hours after dosing. As with other alpha-blockers, there is a potential for syncope, especially after the initial dose or after an increase in dosage strength. Advise patient how to avoid symptoms resulting from postural hypotension and what measures to take should they develop.

Concomitant administration of doxazosin mesylate with a PDE-5 inhibitor can result in additive blood pressure lowering effects and symptomatic hypotension.

Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) has been observed during cataract surgery in some patients on or previously treated with alpha₁ blockers. This variant of small pupil syndrome is characterized by the combination of a flaccid iris that billows in response to intraoperative irrigation currents, progressive intraoperative miosis despite preoperative dilation with standard mydriatic drugs, and potential prolapse of the iris toward the phacoemulsification incisions. The patient’s surgeon should be prepared for possible modifications to their surgical technique, such as the utilization of iris hooks, iris dilator rings, or viscoelastic substances. There does not appear to be a benefit of stopping alpha₁ blocker therapy prior to cataract surgery.

Carcinoma of the prostate causes many of the symptoms associated with BPH and the two disorders frequently co-exist. Carcinoma of the prostate should therefore be ruled out prior to commencing therapy with doxazosin mesylate for the treatment of BPH.

Alpha₁ antagonists, including doxazosin, have been associated with priapism (painful penile erection, sustained for hours and unrelieved by sexual intercourse or masturbation). This condition can lead to permanent impotence if not promptly treated.

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
The incidence of adverse events has been ascertained from worldwide clinical trials in 965 BPH patients. The incidence rates presented below (Table 2) are based on combined data from seven placebo-controlled trials involving once-daily administration of doxazosin mesylate in doses of 1 to 16 mg in hypertensives and 0.5 to 8 mg in normotensives. Adverse reactions occurring more than 1% more frequently in BPH patients treated with doxazosin mesylate vs placebo are summarized in Table 1.

Other adverse reactions occurring less than 1% more frequently in BPH patients treated with doxazosin mesylate vs placebo but plausibly related to doxazosin mesylate include: palpitations.

Hypertension
Doxazosin mesylate has been administered to approximately 4000 hypertensive patients in clinical trials, of whom 1679 were included in the hypertension clinical development program. In placebo-controlled studies, adverse events occurred in 49% and 40% of patients in the doxazosin and placebo groups, respectively, and led to discontinuation in 2% of patients in each group.

Adverse reactions occurring more than 1% more frequently in hypertensive patients treated with doxazosin mesylate vs placebo are summarized in Table 1. Postural effects and edema appeared to be dose-related. The prevalence rates presented below are based on combined data from placebo-controlled studies involving once-daily administration of doxazosin at doses ranging from 1 to 16 mg.

Other adverse reactions occurring less than 1% more frequently in hypertensive patients treated with doxazosin mesylate vs placebo but plausibly related to doxazosin mesylate use include vertigo, hypotension, hot flushes, epistaxis and oedema.

Doxazosin mesylate has been associated with decreases in white blood cell counts

Laboratory changes observed in clinical studies
Leukopenia/Neutropenia: Decreases in mean white blood cell (WBC) and mean neutrophil count were observed in controlled clinical trials of hypertensive patients receiving doxazosin mesylate. In cases where follow-up was available, WBC and neutrophil counts returned to normal after discontinuation of doxazosin mesylate. No patients became symptomatic as a result of the low WBC or neutrophil counts.

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of doxazosin mesylate. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

In post-marketing experience, the following additional adverse reactions have been reported:
Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: leukopenia, thrombocytopenia;
Immune System Disorders: allergic reaction;
Nervous System Disorders: hypoesthesia;
Eye Disorders: Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)];
Cardiac Disorders: bradycardia;
Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders: bronchospasm aggravated;
Gastrointestinal Disorders: vomiting;
Hepatobiliary Disorders: cholestasis, hepatitis cholestatic;
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: urticaria;
Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: muscle cramps, muscle weakness;
Renal and Urinary Disorders: hematuria, micturition disorder, micturition frequency, nocturia;
Reproductive System and Breast Disorders: gynecomastia, priapism.

In vitro studies suggest that doxazosin is a substrate of CYP 3A4. Strong CYP3A inhibitors may increase exposure to doxazosin. Monitor blood pressure and for symptoms of hypotension when doxazosin mesylate is used concomitantly with strong CYP3A inhibitors [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Concomitant administration of doxazosin mesylate with a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor can result in additive blood pressure lowering effects and symptomatic hypotension. Monitor blood pressure and for symptoms of hypotension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

Risk Summary
The limited available data with doxazosin mesylate in pregnant women are not sufficient to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage. However, untreated hypertension during pregnancy can result in increased maternal risks [see Clinical Considerations]. In animal reproduction studies, no adverse developmental effects were observed when doxazosin was orally administered to pregnant rabbits and rats during the period of organogenesis at doses of up to 41 and 20 mg/kg, respectively (exposures in rabbits and rats were 10 and 4 times, respectively, the human AUC exposures with a 12 mg/day therapeutic dose). A dosage regimen of 82 mg/kg/day in the rabbit was associated with reduced fetal survival [see Data].

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Clinical Considerations
Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk
Hypertension in pregnancy increases the maternal risk for pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature delivery, and delivery complications (e.g., need for cesarean section, and post-partum hemorrhage). Hypertension increases the fetal risk for intrauterine growth restriction and intrauterine death.

Data
Animal Data
Radioactivity was found to cross the placenta following oral administration of labelled doxazosin to pregnant rats. Studies in pregnant rabbits and rats at daily oral doses of up to 41 and 20 mg/kg, respectively (plasma drug concentrations of 10 and 4 times, respectively, the human AUC exposures with a 12 mg/day therapeutic dose), have revealed no evidence of adverse developmental effects. A dosage regimen of 82 mg/kg/day in the rabbit was associated with reduced fetal survival. In peri- and postnatal studies in rats, postnatal development at maternal doses of 40 or 50 mg/kg/day of doxazosin (about 8 times human AUC exposure with a 12 mg/day therapeutic dose) was delayed, as evidenced by slower body weight gain and slightly later appearance of anatomical features and reflexes.

Risk Summary
There is limited information on the presence of doxazosin mesylate in human milk [see Data]. There is no information on the effects of doxazosin mesylate on the breastfeed infant or the effects on milk production.

Data
A single case study reports that doxazosin mesylate is present in human milk, which resulted in an infant dose of less than 1% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage and a milk/plasma ratio of 0.1.  However, these data are insufficient to confirm the presence of doxazosin mesylate in human milk.

The safety and effectiveness of doxazosin mesylate have not been established in children.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
The safety and effectiveness profile of doxazosin mesylate was similar in the elderly (age ≥ 65 years) and younger (age < 65 years) patients.

Hypertension
Clinical studies of doxazosin mesylate did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients.

In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy.

Doxazosin mesylate is extensively metabolized in the liver. Hepatic impairment is expected to increase exposure to doxazosin. Use of doxazosin mesylate in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class C) is not recommended. Monitor blood pressure and for symptoms of hypotension in patients with lesser degrees of hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class A and B) [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ].

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
The symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), such as urinary frequency, nocturia, weak stream, hesitancy, and incomplete emptying are related to two components, anatomical (static) and functional (dynamic). The static component is related to an increase in prostate size caused, in part, by a proliferation of smooth muscle cells in the prostatic stroma. However, the severity of BPH symptoms and the degree of urethral obstruction do not correlate well with the size of the prostate. The dynamic component of BPH is associated with an increase in smooth muscle tone in the prostate and bladder neck. The degree of tone in this area is mediated by the alpha₁ adrenoceptor, which is present in high density in the prostatic stroma, prostatic capsule and bladder neck. Blockade of the alpha₁ receptor decreases urethral resistance and may relieve the obstruction and BPH symptoms and improve urine flow.

Hypertension
The mechanism of action of doxazosin mesylate is selective blockade of the alpha₁ (postjunctional) subtype of adrenergic receptors. Studies in normal human subjects have shown that doxazosin competitively antagonized the pressor effects of phenylephrine (an alpha₁ agonist) and the systolic pressor effect of norepinephrine. Doxazosin and prazosin have similar abilities to antagonize phenylephrine. The antihypertensive effect of doxazosin mesylate results from a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. The parent compound doxazosin is primarily responsible for the antihypertensive activity. The low plasma concentrations of known active and inactive metabolites of doxazosin (2-piperazinyl, 6'- and 7'-hydroxy and 6- and 7-O-desmethyl compounds) compared to parent drug indicate that the contribution of even the most potent compound (6'-hydroxy) to the antihypertensive effect of doxazosin in man is probably small. The 6'- and 7'-hydroxy metabolites have demonstrated antioxidant properties at concentrations of 5 µM, in vitro.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Administration of doxazosin mesylate to patients with symptomatic BPH resulted in a statistically significant improvement in maximum urinary flow rate [see Clinical Studies (14.1)].

Effect on Normotensive Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Although blockade of alpha₁ adrenoceptors also lowers blood pressure in hypertensive patients with increased peripheral vascular resistance, doxazosin mesylate treatment of normotensive men with BPH did not result in a clinically significant blood pressure lowering effect (Table 4). The proportion of normotensive patients with a sitting systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure less than 60 mmHg at any time during treatment with doxazosin mesylate 1–8 mg once daily was 6.7% with doxazosin and not significantly different (statistically) from that with placebo (5%).

Hypertension
Administration of doxazosin mesylate results in a reduction in systemic vascular resistance. In patients with hypertension, there is little change in cardiac output. Maximum reductions in blood pressure usually occur 2–6 hours after dosing and are associated with a small increase in standing heart rate. Like other alpha₁-adrenergic blocking agents, doxazosin has a greater effect on blood pressure and heart rate in the standing position.

Absorption
After oral administration of therapeutic doses, peak plasma levels of doxazosin mesylate occur at about 2–3 hours. Bioavailability is approximately 65%, reflecting first-pass metabolism of doxazosin by the liver. The effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of doxazosin mesylate was examined in a crossover study with twelve hypertensive subjects. Reductions of 18% in mean maximum plasma concentration (C_max) and 12% in the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) occurred when doxazosin mesylate was administered with food. Neither of these differences is clinically significant.

In a crossover study in 24 normotensive subjects, the pharmacokinetics and safety of doxazosin were shown to be similar with morning and evening dosing regimens. The AUC after morning dosing was, however, 11% less than that after evening dosing and the time to peak concentration after evening dosing occurred significantly later than that after morning dosing (5.6 vs. 3.5 hours).

Distribution
At the plasma concentrations achieved by therapeutic doses, approximately 98% of the circulating drug is bound to plasma proteins.

Metabolism
Doxazosin mesylate is extensively metabolized in the liver, mainly by O-demethylation of the quinazoline nucleus or hydroxylation of the benzodioxan moiety. In vitro studies suggest that the primary pathway for elimination is via CYP 3A4; however, CYP 2D6 and CYP 2C9 metabolic pathways are also involved to a lesser extent. Although several active metabolites of doxazosin have been identified, the pharmacokinetics of these metabolites have not been characterized.

Excretion
Plasma elimination of doxazosin is biphasic, with a terminal elimination half-life of about 22 hours. Steady-state studies in hypertensive patients given doxazosin doses of 2 to 16 mg once daily showed linear kinetics and dose proportionality. In two studies, following the administration of 2 mg orally once daily, the mean accumulation ratios (steady-state AUC vs. first-dose AUC) were 1.2 and 1.7. Enterohepatic recycling is suggested by secondary peaking of plasma doxazosin concentrations.

In a study of two subjects administered radiolabelled doxazosin 2 mg orally and 1 mg intravenously on two separate occasions, approximately 63% of the dose was eliminated in the feces and 9% of the dose was found in the urine. On average only 4.8% of the dose was excreted as unchanged drug in the feces and only a trace of the total radioactivity in the urine was attributed to unchanged drug.

Specific Populations
Geriatric
The pharmacokinetics of doxazosin mesylate in young (<65 years) and elderly (≥65 years) subjects were similar for plasma half-life values and oral clearance.

Renal Impairment
Pharmacokinetic studies in elderly patients and patients with renal impairment have shown no significant alterations compared to younger patients with normal renal function.

Hepatic Impairment
Administration of a single 2 mg dose to patients with cirrhosis (Child-Pugh Class A) showed a 40% increase in exposure to doxazosin. The impact of moderate (Child-Pugh Class B) or severe (Child-Pugh Class C) hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of doxazosin is not known [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].

Drug Interactions
There are only limited data on the effects of drugs known to influence the hepatic metabolism of doxazosin (e.g., cimetidine).

Cimetidine: In healthy volunteers, the administration of a single 1 mg dose of doxazosin on day 1 of a four-day regimen of oral cimetidine (400 mg twice daily) resulted in a 10% increase in mean AUC of doxazosin, and a slight but not significant increase in mean C_max and mean half-life of doxazosin.

In vitro data in human plasma indicate that doxazosin mesylate has no effect on protein binding of digoxin, warfarin, phenytoin, or indomethacin.

Carcinogenesis and Mutagenesis: Chronic dietary administration (up to 24 months) of doxazosin mesylate at maximally tolerated doses of 40 mg/kg/day in rats and 120 mg/kg/day in mice revealed no evidence of carcinogenic potential. The highest doses evaluated in the rat and mouse studies are associated with AUCs (a measure of systemic exposure) that are 8 times and 4 times, respectively, the human AUC at a dose of 16 mg/day.

Mutagenicity studies revealed no drug- or metabolite-related effects at either chromosomal or subchromosomal levels. 

Fertility in Males: Studies in rats showed reduced fertility in males treated with doxazosin at oral doses of 20 (but not 5 or 10) mg/kg/day, about 4 times the AUC exposures obtained with a 12 mg/day human dose. This effect was reversible within two weeks of drug withdrawal. There have been no reports of any effects of doxazosin on male fertility in humans.

An increased incidence of myocardial necrosis or fibrosis was observed in long-term (6-12 months) studies in rats and mice (exposure 8 times human AUC exposure in rats and somewhat equivalent to human C_max exposure in mice). Findings were not seen at lower doses. In dogs no cardiotoxicity was observed following 12 months of oral dosing at doses that resulted in   maximum plasma concentrations (C_max) 14 times the C_max exposure in humans receiving a 12 mg/day therapeutic dose or in Wistar rats at C_max exposures 15 times human C_max exposure. There is no evidence that similar lesions occur in humans.

The efficacy of doxazosin mesylate was evaluated extensively in over 900 patients with BPH in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Doxazosin mesylate treatment was superior to placebo in improving patient symptoms and urinary flow rate. Significant relief with doxazosin mesylate was seen as early as one week into the treatment regimen, with doxazosin mesylate-treated patients (N=173) showing a significant (p<0.01) increase in maximum flow rate of 0.8 mL/sec compared to a decrease of 0.5 mL/sec in the placebo group (N=41). In long-term studies, improvement was maintained for up to 2 years of treatment. In 66–71% of patients, improvements above baseline were seen in both symptoms and maximum urinary flow rate.

In three placebo-controlled studies of 14–16 weeks’ duration, obstructive symptoms (hesitation, intermittency, dribbling, weak urinary stream, incomplete emptying of the bladder) and irritative symptoms (nocturia, daytime frequency, urgency, burning) of BPH were evaluated at each visit by patient-assessed symptom questionnaires. The bothersomeness of symptoms was measured with a modified Boyarsky questionnaire. Symptom severity/frequency was assessed using a modified Boyarsky questionnaire or an AUA-based questionnaire. Uroflowmetric evaluations were performed at times of peak (2–6 hours post-dose) and/or trough (24 hours post-dose) plasma concentrations of doxazosin mesylate.

The results from the three placebo-controlled studies (N=609) showing significant efficacy with 4 mg and 8 mg doxazosin are summarized in Table 3. In all three studies, doxazosin mesylate resulted in statistically significant relief of obstructive and irritative symptoms compared to placebo. Statistically significant improvements of 2.3–3.3 mL/sec in maximum flow rate were seen with doxazosin mesylate in Studies 1 and 2, compared to 0.1–0.7 mL/sec with placebo.

In one fixed-dose study (Study 2), doxazosin mesylate therapy (4 to 8 mg, once daily) resulted in a significant and sustained improvement in maximum urinary flow rate of 2.3–3.3 mL/sec (Table 3) compared to placebo (0.1 mL/sec). In this study, the only study in which weekly evaluations were made, significant improvement with doxazosin mesylate vs. placebo was seen after one week. The proportion of patients who responded with a maximum flow rate improvement of ≥3 mL/sec was significantly larger with doxazosin mesylate (34–42%) than placebo (13–17%). A significantly greater improvement was also seen in average flow rate with doxazosin mesylate (1.6 mL/sec) than with placebo (0.2 mL/sec). The onset and time course of symptom relief and increased urinary flow from Study 1 are illustrated in Figure 1.

Image of Figure 1-Study 1Image of Figure 1-Study 1

In a pooled analysis of placebo-controlled hypertension studies with about 300 hypertensive patients per treatment group, doxazosin, at doses of 1 to 16 mg given once daily, lowered blood pressure at 24 hours by about 10/8 mmHg compared to placebo in the standing position and about 9/5 mmHg in the supine position. Peak blood pressure effects (1–6 hours) were larger by about 50–75% (i.e., trough values were about 55–70% of peak effect), with the larger peak-trough differences seen in systolic pressures. There was no apparent difference in the blood pressure response of Caucasians and Blacks or of patients above and below age 65. In the same patient population, patients receiving doxazosin mesylate gained a mean of 0.6 kg compared to a mean loss of 0.1 kg for placebo patients.