Flocard 1 mg/2 mg/4 mg/8 mg Tablets

Doxazosin is in a class of medications called alpha-blockers. FLOCARD is a treatment for high blood pressure, or the symptoms caused by enlargement of the prostate gland in men.

Do not take FLOCARD:

• If you have ever had an allergic reaction in the past to FLOCARD, quinazolines or any of the ingredients of FLOCARD.
• If you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
• If you have a history of low blood pressure when you stand up from sitting or lying down.
• If you have trouble passing urine, bladder or kidney problems.
• If you have an enlarged prostate.

Take special care with FLOCARD:

• If you have liver or kidney disease
• If you are elderly.
• If you are undergoing eye surgery because of cataract (cloudiness of the lens of the eye) please inform your eye specialist before the operation that you are using or have previously used FLOCARD. FLOCARD may cause complications during the surgery.
• When you start to take FLOCARD you may experience faintness or dizziness caused by low blood pressure, when getting up from sitting or lying down. If you feel faint or dizzy, you should sit or lie down until you feel better and avoid situations where you might fall or hurt yourself. Your doctor may want to measure your blood pressure regularly at the start of therapy to reduce the possibility of these effects happening.
• If you have a condition called angina pectoris or heart failure.

Pregnancy and Breast-feeding: Do not take FLOCARD if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. The safety of FLOCARD in pregnancy or breast-feeding has not been determined. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional for advice before taking FLOCARD.

• Take FLOCARD only as directed by your doctor.
• If you are taking FLOCARD for the first time the normal dose is 1 mg once daily. After this the usual dose is 2 mg or 4 mg daily. In some circumstances this may be increased to a maximum of 8 mg daily if you are being treated for prostate enlargement, or to a maximum of 16 mg daily if you are being treated for high blood pressure.
• Your doctor will gradually increase your dosage at intervals of 1 to 2 weeks.

Always take FLOCARD exactly as your doctor has instructed you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure. If you have the impression that the effect of FLOCARD is too strong or too weak, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more FLOCARD than you should: In the event of overdosage, consult your doctor or pharmacist. If neither is available, contact the nearest hospital or poison control centre.

If you forget to take FLOCARD: If you forget to take FLOCARD, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

FLOCARD can have side effects. Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• Chest pain
• Angina
• Irregular heart beat
• Palpitations (rapid irregular action of heart)
• Increased rate of heart beat
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Shortness of breath

Other side effects include: Frequent: dizziness, vertigo (feeling of spinning or rotation of surroundings), headache and weakness. Less frequent: nervousness, difficulty sleeping, low blood pressure, runny nose, nausea and stomach pain. Unknown frequency: depression, inability to sleep, agitation, tremor (shake), numbness, tingling, pins and needles, abnormal vision; blurred vision, nose bleeds, diarrhoea; dry mouth, vomiting, yellow pigmentation of skin and eyes, skin rash, itching, red or purple patches on the skin and urinary incontinence. Tell your doctor if any of the above side effects are severe, bothersome or do not go away. Not all side effects reported for FLOCARD are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking FLOCARD, please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional for advice.

Store at or below 25 °C (room temperature). Protect from light. Keep original containers well closed. Do not remove blisters from carton until required for use. Store all medicines out of the reach and sight of children. Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist. Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).