A-Z Indexes

Food

Health Guides

Health News

Anastrozole

Pronounced

"an-AS-TROE-zole"

Common brand names:

Arimidex

Uses

Anastrozole is used to treat breast cancer in women after menopause. Some breast cancers are made to grow faster by a natural hormone called estrogen. Anastrozole decreases the amount of estrogen the body makes and helps to slow or reverse the growth of these breast cancers.

Other Uses

This section contains uses of this drug that are not listed in the approved professional labeling for the drug but that may be prescribed by your health care professional. Use this drug for a condition that is listed in this section only if it has been so prescribed by your health care professional.

This medication may also be used to reduce the chances of breast cancer in high-risk patients.

How to Use This Medication

Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking anastrozole and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually once a day.

Use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day.

Do not increase your dose or use this drug more often or for longer than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any faster, and your risk of serious side effects will increase.

Since this drug can be absorbed through the skin and lungs and may harm an unborn baby, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not handle this medication or breathe the dust from the tablets.