Uses of Proscar: - Hair loss Male pattern baldness, Benign prostatic hyperplasia Children, exposure of pregnant women to finasteride either via direct contact with crushed tab or through semen of male sexual partners who are taking finasteride; pregnancy, lactation.

How to use Finasteride: Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Finasteride may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time. Administration: May be taken with or without food. Adult Dose: Oral Benign prostatic hyperplasia Adult: 5 mg once daily for at least 6 mth. Male pattern baldness Adult: 1 mg once daily for at least 3 mth. Hepatic impairment: Caution in liver dysfunction; monitor Renal Dose: Renal impairment: Dose adjustment not necessary

No drug interactions of clinical importance have been identified. Finasteride does not appear to affect significantly the cytochrome P-450-linked drug metabolizing enzyme system. Compounds which have been tested in man have included propranolol, digoxin, glyburide, warfarin, theophylline and antipyrine, and no clinically meaningful interactions were found. Other Concomitant Therapy: Although specific interaction studies were not performed, in clinical studies Finasteride was used concomitantly with angiotensin converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, cardiac nitrates, diuretics, H2-antagonists, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), quinolones and benzodiazepines without evidence of clinically significant adverse interactions.

Children, exposure of pregnant women to finasteride either via direct contact with crushed tab or through semen of male sexual partners who are taking finasteride; pregnancy, lactation.

Common - Ejaculation disorder - Erectile dysfunction - Sexual dysfunction 1-10% Erectile dysfunction (1.3-8.1%),Decrease libido (1.8-6.4%),Breast enlargement (0.5-1.8%),Ejaculation disorder (0.8-1.2%) <1% Breast tenderness (0.4-0.7%),Rash (0.5%)

Precaution: Undiagnosed prostate cancer, liver dysfunction, obstructive uropathy. Lactation: Excretion in milk unknown; contraindicated

Finasteride is a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), thus resulting in decreased serum levels of DHT.

Pregnancy category: X Lactation: Excretion in milk unknown; contraindicated