Alfuzosin is part of a class of drugs known as alpha blockers. In particular, it works by blocking alpha-1 receptors. Alpha-1 receptors are found in several places of the body, including the prostate gland.
When used for the treatment of
BPH, alpha-1 blockers help to relax the muscles of the prostate and the bladder neck (where urine leaves the bladder). Alfuzosin does not shrink the prostate, as some other BPH medications do. However, by relaxing the muscles of the prostate and bladder, alfuzosin helps to quickly relieve BPH symptoms. While this medication can help with symptoms, it is not a cure for BPH.
Alfuzosin is not approved for use in children or teens (this makes sense, as BPH is a condition that occurs in older men).
On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend alfuzosin for something other than the conditions discussed in this article. Sometimes, alfuzosin is used
off-label for the following purposes:
- Improving sexual function in men with BPH
- Treating premature ejaculation
- Treating urinary retention (difficulty emptying the bladder) in women
- Treating urinary problems associated with multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Helping the passage of ureter stones (also known as bladder stones), which are kidney stones that have passed into the ureter (one of the tubes from the kidneys to the bladder).
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