Dutasteride (Avodart) is a 5 alpha-reductase enzyme inhibitor.

Dutasteride (Avodart) comes as a capsule to take by mouth and maybe taken with or without food.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Dutasteride (Avodart).

Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Breast enlargement and/or tenderness, decreased sex drive; decreased volume of ejaculate; inability to have an erection.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue).

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions or need medical advice about side effects, contact your doctor or health care provider.

Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

Certain medicines that act on the liver (eg, ritonavir, ketoconazole, verapamil, diltiazem, cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, troleandomycin) because they may increase the risk of Dutasteride (Avodart)'s side effects.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Dutasteride (Avodart) may interact with other medicines that you take.

In case of overdose, you need to call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim is unconscious or not breathing, you need to call local emergency services at 911.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially
if any of the following apply to you:

if you plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding

if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement

if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances

if you have liver disease, prostate cancer, urinary tract disease, or problems urinating

Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Dutasteride (Avodart) works by lowering levels of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is a major cause of prostate growth. Lowering DHT leads to shrinkage of the enlarged prostate gland.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Store away from heat, moisture, and light.

If you have any questions about Dutasteride (Avodart), please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Dutasteride (Avodart) stays in the blood stream for 4 to 6 months after you stop taking it. Do not donate blood for at least 6 months after your last dose of Dutasteride (Avodart) to prevent exposure through a blood transfusion to a pregnant woman.

Dutasteride (Avodart) may interfere with certain lab tests, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for the screening of prostate cancer.

Be sure your doctor and lab personnel know you are taking Dutasteride (Avodart).