Avodart 0.5mg 30s

What is Avodart 0.5mg used for​​​?

Avodart 0.5mg contains the active ingredient Dutasteride 0.5mg and it can be used treat male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia).

In the scalp, Dutasteride lowers the levels of a male hormone (dihydrotestosterone, DHT), which is a major cause of male pattern hair loss. In this way, Dutasteride helps to slow the balding process, preventing further hair loss, and leading to increased hair growth in some patients.

The improvement rate varies from person to person; it usually occurs after the medication has been used for at least 3 months and lasts only as long as the medication continues to be used. Hair loss will begin again within 3 to 6 months after stopping the medication.

This medication is also used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

How effective is Avodart (Dutasteride) for hair loss?

Although Dutasteride is considered off-label for the treatment of hair loss, it has been widely used with favourable effects documented in multiple studies.

In a 2014 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, researchers compared Finasteride and Dutasteride on 917 men between 20 and 50 at various stages of male pattern baldness. The researchers found that men who took Dutasteride had thicker hair and a higher average target area hair count than those who used Finasteride. Side effects were similar among both groups.

A Dutasteride treatment may be slightly more effective than Finasteride because it prevents more testosterone from converting into DHT, the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness. Finasteride is a selective inhibitor of type-2 5ARI, whereas Dutasteride inhibits both type-1 and 2 5ARI. Due to the additional target, Dutasteride induces a more significant reduction in DHT production.

Another reason Dutasteride may be more effective than Finasteride as a hair loss treatment for androgenetic alopecia in men is its longer half-life, meaning that it stays in the body for a more extended period after taking it.

During the first 3 to 4 months of treatment, some may also develop a slight increase in hair loss. If you start to experience hair shedding after you start using Dutasteride either on its own or with Minoxidil, it’s important to stay the course as this is a temporary phenomenon. After 3 to 4 months, you should begin to notice real improvements in your hair density and general hair growth.

Dosage and How to Use​

• This medication may be taken with or without food.
• If you experience stomach upset, take the medication with food.
• Do not take more than once a day.
• This medication should be swallowed whole; do not chew or open as contact with the contents of the capsules may make your mouth or throat sore.
• This medication should not be touched or handled by pregnant women or women who are of childbearing age as the active ingredient of the medication (Dutasteride) can be absorbed through the skin. If contact with a leaking capsule occurs, wash the area immediately with soap and water as the medication may negatively affect the development of the fetus.

What to do if I missed a dose?

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Then take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.

What are the possible side effects of Dutasteride?

Common side effects include:

• Unable to get or sustain an erection
• Decreased libido (sex drive); less desire to have sex
• Difficulty with ejaculation

These side effects may be temporary and reversible. If they are persistent and become bothersome, please discuss it with your doctor.

Dutasteride use in males planning to have children:

• Dutasteride may reduce the amount of sperm and the ability of sperms to move
• For a man and his partner who have difficulty in having children, please consult your doctor for further assessments​

What precautions should I take?

• Use a condom during sexual intercourse to avoid exposing your partner to the medication. This is because the medication can be found in semen. This is to protect your partner if your partner is or may be pregnant, as the medication may affect the normal development of the baby’s sex organs.
• Avoid donating blood during treatment or for 6 months after you stopped the treatment as there may be a risk that your blood may be given to a pregnant female transfusion recipient.

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients in this medication.
• You have heart, liver, prostate or urological diseases.
• You are going for a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. Dutasteride may decrease the level of PSA, which is a prostate-specific tumour marker, in the blood.
• You have abnormally low mood or have depression.

What other medications and foods should I avoid when taking Avodart (Dutasteride)?

Inform your healthcare professional if you are taking or intend to take any other medication, supplements, traditional medications, or herbal remedies.

Handling and storage

• Keep away from children.
• Keep in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
• Keep this medication away from children, pregnant women and women who are of childbearing age.
• To dispose this medication safely, pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.

The above information answers some common questions about this medicine. It does not contain all the available information. It also does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

References

https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/medications/dutasteride

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190962213011717