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General Information
FLOMAX (tamsulosin hydrochloride) is an alpha1 adrenoceptor antagonist.
FLOMAX is specifically indicated for treatment of the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
FLOMAX is supplied as capsules for oral administration. FLOMAX capsules 0.4 mg once daily is recommended as the dose for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH. It should be administered approximately one-half hour following the same meal each day. FLOMAX capsules should not be crushed, chewed or opened. For those patients who fail to respond to the 0.4 mg dose after 2 to 4 weeks of dosing, the dose of FLOMAX capsules can be increased to 0.8 mg once daily. FLOMAX capsules 0.4 mg should not be used in combination with strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 (e.g., ketoconazole). If FLOMAX capsules administration is discontinued or interrupted for several days at either the 0.4 mg or 0.8 mg dose, therapy should be started again with the 0.4 mg once-daily dose.
Mechanism of Action
FLOMAX (tamsulosin hydrochloride) is an alpha1 adrenoceptor antagonist. The symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are related to bladder outlet obstruction, which is comprised of two underlying components: static and 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 is a function of an increase in smooth muscle tone in the prostate and bladder neck leading to constriction of the bladder outlet. Smooth muscle tone is mediated by the sympathetic nervous stimulation of alpha1 adrenoceptors, which are abundant in the prostate, prostatic capsule, prostatic urethra, and bladder neck. Blockade of these adrenoceptors can cause smooth muscles in the bladder neck and prostate to relax, resulting in an improvement in urine flow rate and a reduction in symptoms of BPH. Tamsulosin, an alpha1 adrenoceptor blocking agent, exhibits selectivity for alpha1 receptors in the human prostate. At least three discrete alpha1 adrenoceptor subtypes have been identified: alpha1A, alpha1B, and alpha1D; their distribution differs between human organs and tissue.
Side Effects
Adverse effects associated with the use of FLOMAX may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- headache
- dizziness
- rhinitis
- infection
- abnormal ejaculation
- asthenia
- back pain
- diarrhea
- pharyngitis
- chest pain
- cough increased
- somnolence
- nausea
- sinusitis
- insomnia
- libido decreased
- tooth disorder
- blurred vision
Clinical Trial Results
Four placebo-controlled clinical studies and one active-controlled clinical study enrolled a total of 2296 patients (1003 received FLOMAX capsules 0.4 mg once daily, 491 received FLOMAX capsules 0.8 mg once daily, and 802 were control patients) in the U.S. and Europe. In the two U.S. placebo-controlled, double-blind, 13-week, multicenter studies (Study 1 [US92-03A] and Study 2 [US93-01]), 1486 men with the signs and symptoms of BPH were enrolled. In both studies, patients were randomized to either placebo, FLOMAX capsules 0.4 mg once daily, or FLOMAX capsules 0.8 mg once daily. Patients in FLOMAX capsules 0.8 mg once-daily treatment groups received a dose of 0.4 mg once daily for one week before increasing to the 0.8 mg once-daily dose. The primary efficacy assessments included: 1) total American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Score questionnaire, which evaluated irritative (frequency, urgency, and nocturia), and obstructive (hesitancy, incomplete emptying, intermittency, and weak stream) symptoms, where a decrease in score is consistent with improvement in symptoms; and 2) peak urine flow rate, where an increased peak urine flow rate value over baseline is consistent with decreased urinary obstruction. Mean changes from baseline to Week 13 in total AUA Symptom Score were significantly greater for groups treated with FLOMAX capsules 0.4 mg and 0.8 mg once daily compared to placebo in both U.S. studies. The changes from baseline to Week 13 in peak urine flow rate were also significantly greater for the FLOMAX capsules 0.4 mg and 0.8 mg once-daily groups compared to placebo in Study 1, and for the FLOMAX capsules 0.8 mg once-daily group in Study 2. Overall there were no significant differences in improvement observed in total AUA Symptom Scores or peak urine flow rates between the 0.4 mg and the 0.8 mg dose groups with the exception that the 0.8 mg dose in Study 1 had a significantly greater improvement in total AUA Symptom Score compared to the 0.4 mg dose.