I was put on Ramipril an ace inhibitor initially for slightly high BP but due to designated side effects, dry cough and loss of great clumps of hair, the doctor changed me to an Alpha Blocker drug Doxazosin.
I always check possible side effects before starting a new RX and Im glad I did.
Doxazosin was part of the large ALLHAT study back in 2001. This study compared 4 types of BP drugs, ACE inhibitors, calcium blockers, Alpha blockers and diuretics.
The Doxazosin was withdrawn halfway through the study due to 25% more of those taking the drug going down with heart failure.Yikes!!
http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1127509
I went back to my doctor, or rather his fresh out of University 'in training assistant,' with all the relevant ALLHAT study details and paperwork, and explained my CFS/ME caused me to have low cardiac output and the last thing I needed was a BP drug that made the heart weaker.
He responded he wasnt going to change the drug, NICE approved it and that was that and there was no such thing as CFS/ME anyway.
This is the sort of attitude that a lot of doctors seem to have, even when the evidence is in the front of them that they could be handing out drugs that are going to make things worse for PWC's.
BTW Pfizer are still selling Doxazosin(Cordura in the US) as a time release drug for BP and prostate conditions so beware. Other Alpha Blocker's are probably just as unsuitable for PWC's.