Safety
No boxed warning. The label warns of lower bone mineral density and higher cholesterol, and of more heart events in women with existing heart disease. In men, the risk is pushing estradiol too low, so ask how your clinician will check your levels.
Legal status
Prescription only; FDA-approved. Off-label in men. Not a controlled substance. Generic anastrozole is FDA-approved.
What anastrozole (Arimidex) is
Anastrozole (Arimidex) is made by ANI Pharmaceuticals (Arimidex) and generic makers. Approved only for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Using it to lower estrogen in men on testosterone is off-label.
FDA-approved for
- Adjuvant treatment of hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer in postmenopausal women
- First-line treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women
- Advanced breast cancer that progressed after tamoxifen, in postmenopausal women
Dosing
Tablet, once a day on the label (for breast cancer); for men on TRT, prescribers set an off-label schedule. 1 mg on the label. There is no FDA-labeled dose for men. Your clinician sets the dose for you.
How well it works
The label’s trials, such as ATAC, studied women with breast cancer. There are no FDA-reviewed trials of anastrozole in men on TRT. Individual results vary.
Anastrozole (Arimidex) cost
Membership fees, where they apply, are added in; Henry Meds includes an unnamed aromatase inhibitor at no extra cost when prescribed. For a full breakdown, read How much does TRT cost online?. For the steps, read How to get TRT online.