ARIMIDEX

(anastrozole)

Arimidex is used for treatment of early breast cancer in women who have finished menopause.

Arimidex tablets

Packet of medicine Arimidex (anastrozole) tablets 1 mg

Composition of Arimidex

These tablets contain anastrazole- 1 mg which is an aromatase inhibitor (non-steroid). The chemical formula is C17H19N5 with 293.4 as molecular weight. It is an off-white colored powder which is highly soluble in acetonitrile and freely soluble in ethanol, methanol, acetone and tetrahydrofuran. The inactive ingredients present in arimidex are polyethylene glycol, lactose, titanium dioxide, povidone, magnesium stearate ,hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and sodium starch glycolate.

Uses of Arimidex

This drug is used in the treatment of breast cancer in females who have undergone menopause. Anastrozole lowers the level of estrogen hormone in the body to help the shrinking of tumors and retarding their growth.

How to Use Arimidex

This medicine is prescribed orally with or without food, generally once a day. Use arimidex regularly to get the maximum benefits. And it is recommended that the intake of this drug should be at the similar time regularly. 10 mg of arimidex daily is prescribed for the postmenopausal female with breast cancer at advanced level. Since this medicine can penetrate through the skin, pregnant women or who may become pregnant in future should not break or mishandle the tablets.

Side-effects of Arimidex

Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, breast pain/swelling/tenderness, body pain, severe cough, fatigue, sweating and flushing (hot flushes/flashes), changes in weight, thinning of hair or vaginal bleeding may occur. If any of these unlikely yet severe side-effects given below are seen, then consult doctor immediately:

  • Mood swings
  • Numbness/swelling/ tingling of feet or hands.
  • Abnormal feeling of tickling
  • Unusual vaginal burning/discharge/odor/itching
  • Abnormally stiff muscles
  • Muscle ache
  • Joint pain/stiffness
  • Persistent cough
  • Vision changes
  • Bone fracture/pain
  • Infections
  • Pain/swelling/redness of legs or arms
  • Chest pain
  • Fainting
  • Trouble breathing
  • Slurred speech
  • Allergic reactions like
  • Rashes
  • Swelling/itching of throat/face/tongue
  • Extreme dizziness

Contraindications of Arimidex

Inform your doctor about any allergies as the inactive substances may be responsible for allergic reactions. Before the use of this drug, let the doctor know about your medical history, basically of: hypertension, heart disorders, liver disease, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, circulation disorders or blood clots. Patients should not take Tamoxifen or estrogens while consuming arimidex. It is often administered by those women whose cancer has sustained even after the consumption of tamoxifen.

Pregnancy and Arimidex

Despite of the fact that postmenopausal females would be pregnant in rare cases, arimidex can cause harm to the fetus. In some cases, it is even responsible for miscarriage. Do not consume the medicine if you may become or are pregnant. It is unknown whether the drug passes into the mother’s milk or if it could cause problems to a nursing infant. While taking arimidex, breast-feeding should be avoided because of the potential danger to the infant. Reliable forms of birth control methods should be used by the females (child-bearing ages) during the treatment.