• Anastrozole is used to treat breast cancer
• Anastrozole is used to treat certain types of breast tumors that require estrogen
• Anastrozole works by lowering estrogen levels in postmenopausal women
• Anastrozole is often prescribed for women whose breast cancer has progressed despite taking tamoxifen
• Anastrozole may have other uses not referenced on this webpage

Always follow the medication guidelines, your doctor's instructions, and your dosage amount instructions exactly. 

• Take with/without food
• Usually take daily
• May need to be taken for up to 5 years
• Store at room temp, away from heat and moisture

*Always inform your doctor of all known medications, medical conditions, and allergies prior to taking a new drug, including over-the-counter drugs, herbs, supplements, recreational drugs, and vitamins.

General precautions:

• Anastrozole may be less effective if taken in conjunction with other estrogen medication
• Anastrozole may increase risk of blood clot or stroke; inform your doctor if you experience symptoms of stroke
• Anastrozole may increase risk of osteoporosis
• Use effective birth control if you have not completed menopause; consult with your doctor, as birth control medications may affect anastrozole

Inform your doctor if you have experienced or have:

• Heart disease
• Circulation issues
• History of stroke or blood clots
• Severe liver disease
• High cholesterol
• Osteoporosis
• Become pregnant

Do not use this medication if you:

• Are allergic
• Are breastfeeding
• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• Have not completed menopause
• Are male or a child

Cease use and seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• An overdose
• An allergic reaction
• Other symptoms (see Side Effects)

Interactions (inform your doctor if you also take):

• Other estrogen-affecting medications, such as: hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills, vaginal rings
• Tamoxifen, estrogen
• Over-the-counter drugs, herbs, vitamins, supplements

Please note that the precautionary information, interactions, and side effects listed on this webpage are not exhaustive. Other effects may occur. Please consult with your doctor about the relevance of this information to your personal case.

Always inform your doctor of all known medications, medical conditions, and allergies prior to taking a new drug, including over-the-counter drugs, herbs, supplements, recreational drugs, and vitamins.

Common side effects:

• Numbness and tingliness on skin
• Weakness and hot flashes
• Pain in joints, stiffness, difficulty grasping
• Sore throat, back/bone pain, headache
• Mood changes, sleep problems, depression
• Hypertension symptoms, such as: severe headache, blurry vision, pounding in neck/ears
• Nausea, vomiting
• Mild rash

Cease use and seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• Shortness of breath even due to mild exertion, rapid weight gain, swelling
• Bone fracture
• Swollen glands
• Symptoms of liver problems, such as: nausea, upper stomach pain, itchiness, fatigue, appetitie loss, dark urine, clay color stools, jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes)
• Symptoms of a stroke, such as: sudden numbness especially on one side of your body, sudden serious headache, slurred speech, vision problems, balancing problems
• Symptoms of a severe skin reaction, such as: swelling in face/tongue, burning in eyes, sore throat, fever, skin pain followed by red/purple rash that spreads and causes blisters and peeling

Please note that the precautionary information, interactions, and side effects listed on this webpage are not exhaustive. Other effects may occur. Please consult with your doctor about the relevance of this information to your personal case.