Tamsulosin

Tamsulosin is a selective alpha-1A and alpha-1B adrenoceptor antagonist that exerts its greatest effect in the prostate and bladder, where these receptors are most common. It is indicated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy. Antagonism of these receptors leads to relaxation of smooth muscle in the prostate and detrusor muscles in the bladder, allowing for better urinary flow. Other alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonists developed in the 1980s were less selective and more likely to act on the smooth muscle of blood vessels, resulting in hypotension.

Tamsulosin was first approved by the FDA on April 15, 1997.