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Proscar Side Effects
Erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive, and breast enlargement are some of the common side effects of Proscar. There are also a number of side effects that should be reported to a healthcare provider immediately. These serious side effects include any signs of an allergic reaction, breast tenderness, or testicular pain.
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As with any medicine, there are possible side effects with Proscar® (finasteride). However, not everyone who takes this drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate Proscar well. When side effects do occur, they are generally minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects of Proscar. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Proscar side effects with you.)
Proscar has been thoroughly studied in clinical trials, with many people having been evaluated. In these studies, side effects occurring in a group of people taking the drug are always documented and compared to the side effects that occur in a similar group of people not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
Based on these studies, the most common Proscar side effects include:
- Erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence -- in up to 18.5 percent of people
- Decreased libido (sex drive) -- up to 10 percent
- Abnormal ejaculation, including decreased ejaculate amount -- up to 7.2 percent
- Breast enlargement -- up to 2.2 percent.
(Click Proscar Sexual Side Effects for more information on Proscar, impotence, and these other sexual side effects.)
You can also read about other possible side effects by going to the following eMedTV articles:
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD