Hair loss, also known as alopecia, can occur from taking certain over-the-counter or prescription medications. Hair loss can be temporary or may become permanent. Reading the warnings concerning a newly prescribed medication and talking to the pharmacist about possible hair loss side effects are valuable tools in the prevention of hair loss.
Anticoagulants
Doctors prescribe anticoagulants to thin the blood and prevent the formation of blood clots. People who are at risk for blood clots, such as those with recent heart surgeries, may take such anticoagulants as warfarin or heparin; both may result in hair loss.
Cholesterol Medications
Prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications such as clofibrate and gemfibrozil work to control the levels of low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels that can lead to clogged arteries and heart attacks. These medications may induce alopecia, according to the American Hair Loss Association.
Antidepressants
Most antidepressants can induce hair loss, reports the American Hair Loss Association. Antidepressants fall under a number of categories, but hair loss occurs as a side effect primarily with older medicines such as tricyclics and newer forms such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Tricyclics that can cause alopecia include desipramine, amitriptyline, doxepin, amoxapine and nortriptyline; SSRIs that can cause it include fluoxetine and sertraline.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
These medications, used to promote comfort and decrease inflammation associated with injury and swelling, can also result in hair loss. Prescription-level versions of these drugs can treat arthritic diseases. Classified as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, these medications include naproxen, indomethacin and sulindac.
Antihypertensives
Any medication prescribed to get high blood pressure under control falls under the classification of antihypertensives. The type of antihypertensive drugs that can induce alopecia are classified as beta-blockers, and include atenolol, metoprolol, nadolol, propranolol and timolol.
Ulcer Medications
Some of the most common over-the-counter and prescription-level drugs used in the treatment of ulcers and indigestion also can cause loss of hair, states the American Hair Loss Association. These include famotidine, ranitidine and cimetidine.
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