Private MD News

Prostate medication may lead to sexual side effects

Category: Prostate

After lab testing reveals an enlarged prostate, many men area prescribed medications like Proscar or Propecia to reduce the size of the gland. However, new evidence suggests that these medications may be linked to a high risk of sexual side effects.

Merck, the pharmaceutical company that makes the medications, recently revised warning labels to reflect the growing understanding that the medications may cause problems like decreased libido, ejaculatory disorders and orgasm problems.

“Despite the fact that clear causal links between finasteride (Propecia) and sexual adverse events have not been established, the cases suggest a broader range of adverse effects than previously reported in patients taking these drugs," the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.

The statement continued that patients, physicians and pharmacists should be aware of the potential link to sexual side effects and take these issues into consideration when they are thinking of using the medications for prostate treatments.

Propecia is also used for treating baldness in men. While the FDA declined to say that individuals should stop using the medication, individuals should weigh the various risks involved.