Anastrozole is the generic term for the United States brand-name drug Arimidex. The medication is used in the treatment of breast cancer, primarily for women who already have passed through menopause. The Mayo Clinic reports it also may be used in women who already have been treated for cancer with other drugs. It works by decreasing the amount of estrogen, a hormone, that is produced by the body. This can prevent further growth of a tumor.
Mental Side Effects
Arimidex use can cause a serious common side effect in your mental state. The use of the medicine can make you feel nervous and jittery. This type of effect should be reported to your physician immediately. It also can cause anxiety in the short-term when you begin taking the drug. This should pass as you take Arimidex regularly.
Pain
Pain often is a side effect of many medications. Arimidex can cause serious side effects of pain that should be explained to your doctor immediately. These include pain in your chest or a general feeling of discomfort there. The drug also can cause headaches that are serious. Other types of pain may occur only as you begin your treatment with the medicine. You may, for example, temporarily feel pain in your pelvis, back or breasts. Pain also is common in your bones and joints.
Heart Side Effects
Arimidex can induce problems in your heart that are serious and need medical attention. These common side effects include either tachycardia, which is a rapid heartbeat, or bradycardia, which is a condition in which your heart rate slows down. Tachycardia is an at-rest heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute. Bradycardia is an at-rest heartbeat of fewer than 60 beats per minute.
Abdominal Side Effects
Temporary and non-serious side effects can affect your abdominal region when you first take Arimidex. For example, you may get either constipated in which it is difficult to make a bowel movement, or you may get diarrhea. You may temporarily lose your appetite at the beginning of treatment, and you may feel queasy and vomit, too. Despite these problems, gaining weight also is a common temporary side effect of Arimidex.
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