Bad news - a new study has linked Avodart with an increased risk of heart failure. The study was conducted to examine Avodart as a possible anti-prostate cancer drug.
I may be switching back to Proscar.
Yeah, I saw that too. I’m not sure how seriously to take it. I’ve been on Avodart about 4 years with an NHS ‘experimental’ prescription - I’m only 37. It seemed like a godsend and my hair loss all but ceased - with a bit of Toppik you can’t even tell I have any.
Interestingly my father has been on Propecia for about 10 years, and suffered from Congestive Heart Failure 1.5 years ago, needing valve repair surgery and a very worrying time. He is on the mend now, aged 76. I do wonder if there is a link, or not, as they couldn’t determine the cause of his. Then again, he wasn’t on Avodart anyway!
Let’s look at the evidence:
6,700 men were tested, presumably with 3,350 on Avodart and the other 3,350 on Placebo
Of those on Avodart, 30 men developed heart failure = 0.9%
Of those on Placebo, 16 men developed heart failure = 0.5%
If this is right, then if you take Avodart you have a 0.9% chance of heart failure, whereas if you don’t, you have a 0.5% chance of heart failure. This doesn’t exactly scare the hell out of me.
Also, if you take Avodart, your cancer risk goes down. They’re now marketing it as an anti-cancer (prostate) drug.
Further food for thought:
“The higher heart failure rate in this study “is unexpected and inconsistent” with previous research”
"men who developed heart failure while on Avodart also tended to be taking certain other drugs”
I don’t know if it’s worth tearing your hair out over! (Or shedding it.) A year from now there’ll be another study that shows it prevents heart failure, I imagine. These things always seem to contradict each other.
What do people think?
Are you going to stop Avodart and go bald?
Are there any better alternatives out there right now? It seemed such an inert drug.
» Bad news - a new study has linked Avodart with an increased risk of heart
» failure. The study was conducted to examine Avodart as a possible
» anti-prostate cancer drug.
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» http://blog.taragana.com/business/2010/03/31/study-finds-higher-heart-failure-risk-in-men-taking-avodart-for-prostate-cancer-prevention-47050/
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» I may be switching back to Proscar.
even coffee can risk chances of heart faulure, the worst being over the counter medications. Good luck with your switch, let me know how it goes.