Avodart Side Effects

Some common side effects of Avodart include a decreased sex drive, impotence, and abnormal ejaculation. There are also some Avodart side effects that you should report to your healthcare provider, including signs of an allergic reaction -- like itching, hives, wheezing, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or an unexplained skin rash -- and any breast changes.

 

Avodart Side Effects: An Introduction

As with any medicine, there are possible side effects associated with the use of Avodart® (dutasteride). However, not everyone who takes this drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it well. When people do develop Avodart side effects, in most cases they are minor, meaning they require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
 
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Avodart. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Avodart side effects with you.)
  

Common Side Effects of Avodart

Avodart has been thoroughly studied in clinical trials, with many people having been evaluated. In these studies, the side effects that occurred in a group of people taking the drug were documented and then compared to the side effects that occurred in another group of people taking a placebo (a "sugar pill" that does not contain any active ingredients). As a result, it was possible to see what side effects occurred, how often they appeared, and how they compared to the group not taking the medicine.
 
Based on these studies, the most common Avodart side effects include:
 
  • Erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence -- up to 4.7 percent of people
  • A decreased libido (sex drive) -- up to 3 percent of people
  • Abnormal ejaculation, including decreased ejaculate amount -- up to 1.4 percent of people
  • Breast enlargement or breast tenderness -- up to 1.1 percent of people.
     
(Click Avodart and Impotence for more information on Avodart, impotence, and these other sexual side effects. You can also read about other possible side effects by going to:
 
(Avodart Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;