Is Doxazosin safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Doxazosin. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information in nursing mothers was not found as of the revision date. However, the pharmacologically similar drug prazosin does not affect serum prolactin concentration in patients with hypertension,[ 3 , 4 ] indicating that doxazosin may not affect prolactin levels. The prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. A woman who was nursing a 6-month-old infant received 2 doses of doxazosin 4 mg 24 hours apart. Four milk samples were obtained after the second dose. A peak milk level of 4.2 mcg/L occurred at 1 hour after the dose. The average concentration over the 18-hour study period was 2.9 mcg/L. The authors estimated that a fully breastfed infant would receive an average daily dosage of 440 ng/kg daily or about 0.6% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.[ 1 ] A woman with pheochromocytoma during pregnancy was treated near term with doxazosin and metoprolol. She continued doxazosin for 3 days postpartum until adrenal surgery. Thirty hours after her last dose of 8 mg of doxazosin, the drug was undetectable ( 25 mcg/L) in her breastmilk.[ 2 ] Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Source: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.