Arimidex

Other Names: Anastrozole.

Commonly Prescribed For: Arimidex can be used alone or combined with other treatments like surgery or radiation for treating breast cancer in women. This medication is normally used for treating breast cancer in women who have experienced a worst breast cancer after taking tamoxifen.

How to Take it: Arimidex is available in the form of a tablet to be taken via mouth. This medication is generally taken once every day, either with food or without food. Take Arimidex as prescribed, around the same time daily.

How it Works: Arimidex belongs to a group of drugs known as nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors. It reduces the quantity estrogen secreted in the body. This can further impede or prevent the growth of breast cancer cells, which requires estrogen to grow.

Some Side Effects: Common side effects include sweating, hair thinning, stomach pain, dry mouth, nausea, tingling in the hands, vomiting, vaginal dryness or irritation, loss of appetite, vaginal bleeding, constipation, dizziness, diarrhea, nervousness, heartburn, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, depression, weakness, headache and breast pain. Serious side effects include chest pain, difficulty swallowing, and sore throat, shortness of breath, painful urination, itching, blurred vision, and hives, yellowing of the skin, skin lesions and rash.