What is Dutasteride?

Men use Dutasteride to reduce the enlargement of the prostate gland, which is the main symptom of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Dutasteride also provides relief from associated symptoms such as urinary troubles and minimizes the danger posed by the surgical option.

Pre-existing conditions that can impact the effect of this medication

Please check with your doctor if you have any of the following pre-existing conditions:

• liver disease
  
  
• kidney disease, kidney infection
  
  
• prostate cancer

Also, ensure that you are not allergic to medications such as Dutasteride, Finasteride, preservatives, foods, or dyes.

How do I consume Dutasteride?

Dutasteride capsules should be taken orally with a drink of water. It does not matter if you take it with meals or without. Please do not or break, pound or cut the capsule. Take your doses at regular intervals. Unless your physician advises you to stop, continue taking the dosage.

Caution: Do not give this medication to anyone else, as it is prescribed for you only.

Get in touch with the poison control centre or rush to the emergency room, if you have consumed more than the prescribed dosage.

In case you miss to take a dose

In case you miss a dose, you must take it that very day. However, if a day has lapsed, then you must not take extra doses, but just the one dose for the current day. Scheduling a daily fixed time will help you to remember to take the dose.

Drug Interactions

The following pharmaceutical ingredients may interfere with Dutasteride's efficacy:

• cimetidine
  
  
• ciprofloxacin
  
  
• clarithromycin, erythromycin, or troleandomycin
  
  
• diltiazem, nicardipine, or verapamil
  
  
• some antifungal drugs like ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole
  
  
• some HIV medications

In case you take any other prescribed medications or over-the-counter drugs, then let your physician know. If you drink a lot of tea, coffee or alcoholic beverages, smoke or take hallucinogenic drugs, then you must inform your doctor. All these activities alter the effect of this medication. Before you make any changes to your medicine consumption, please consult your doctor.

Precautions

Donating blood while consuming this medicine may endanger an expectant mother. Therefore, you are advised not to donate blood. You may begin donating blood after you have discontinued this medicine, and a physician has ascertained that it is safe to donate blood.

For optimum results, Dutasteride must be consumed for at least 6 to 12 months. In case you do not get any relief from your symptoms, then please get in touch with your doctor.

Since Dutasteride can adversely affect an unborn child, pregnant women, or those who might get pregnant, are advised not to touch this drug. In case such a woman happens to touch a broken capsule, then she must thoroughly wash the affected area with soap and water. She must also consult her physician right away.

Dutasteride also affects PSA laboratory tests. Please inform your doctor that you are taking this medication, in case you are about to be checked for prostate cancer.

Side Effects

You may experience loss of libido and performance issues. Although not serious, tell your physician if they continue or trouble you.

If you experience the following side effects, then you must inform your physician immediately:

• skin irritation or hives
  
  
• puffiness in the lips, tongue or face
  
  
• lumps or pain in the breast
  
  
• secretions oozing from the nipple
  
  
• testicular pain

You may experience other side effects that are not mentioned here.

Storage

Make sure that children do not handle this drug in any way.

Keep the medication at normal temperature of 15 to 30 degrees C, or 59 to 86 degrees F. Always close the container tightly. After its date of expiry, dispose any leftover medication immediately.