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Compare Aldactone vs. Proscar

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Spironolactone (Aldactone) and finasteride (Proscar) are both prescription medications, but they serve different purposes and belong to different drug classes. Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic used to treat conditions like heart failure, high blood pressure, and swelling due to liver or kidney problems. It works by blocking aldosterone, which helps your kidneys remove extra water and sodium without lowering potassium levels. On the other hand, finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men. It works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which helps shrink the prostate and ease urinary symptoms. Spironolactone can cause side effects like breast tenderness and lower sex drive, while finasteride may lead to sexual side effects such as difficulty having an erection and lower sex drive. Additionally, finasteride is not safe for pregnant women to handle, whereas spironolactone is not recommended during pregnancy due to potential harm to the baby. Both medications are available in lower-cost generic forms.

  • Spironolactone (Aldactone)
    Finasteride (Proscar)
  • Spironolactone (Aldactone)
    Finasteride (Proscar)

  • Summary of Aldactone vs. Proscar

    Summary for Potassium sparing diuretic
    Prescription only

    Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a type of potassium-sparing diuretic (water pill). It's used to treat heart failure, high blood pressure, and swelling from kidney or liver problems in adults. Because it blocks aldosterone (a hormone that affects sodium and potassium levels), spironolactone (Aldactone) can also treat conditions where there's too much aldosterone. Spironolactone (Aldactone) is taken by mouth, generally once or a few times a day, depending on your condition. Some common side effects of this medication include breast tenderness (males and females) and loss of libido (in males).

    Summary for 5-alpha reductase inhibitor
    Prescription only

    Finasteride (Proscar) is a medication used alone or with doxazosin (Cardura) to treat men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It’s typically recommended for those with an enlarged prostate who also have symptoms, such as problems urinating. But it can take up to 6 months to work. Luckily, the medication comes as a lower-cost generic option.

  • Indications of Aldactone vs. Proscar

    Indications for
    •Heart failure
    •High blood pressure
    •Swelling due to liver damage (cirrhosis)
    •Swelling due to nephrotic syndrome (a rare kidney condition) - tablets only
    •Primary aldosteronism (a hormone imbalance) - tablets only
    Indications for

    Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

    •Relieves urinary symptoms
    •Lessens the need for prostate surgery

  • Pros and Cons of Aldactone vs. Proscar

    Pros and Const for Potassium sparing diuretic
    Pros
    •Taken by mouth
    •Oral suspension available for adults who've difficulty swallowing tablets
    •Lower-cost generics available
    Cons
    •Can make you urinate more often
    •Need to get blood tests regularly to check your electrolytes and kidney health
    •Can cause breast growth and lower sex drive in males
    Pros and Const for 5-alpha reductase inhibitor
    Pros
    •Works to relieve symptoms in people with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
    •Doesn’t interact with many medications
    •Can be used in people who have kidney problems
    Cons
    •Some men might have sexual side effects like inability to have an erection
    •Typically used as a long-term therapy
    •Requires regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests

  • Common Side Effects of Aldactone vs. Proscar

    Common Side Effects for
    •Dizziness
    •Headache
    •Sleepiness
    •Nausea
    •Vomiting
    •Diarrhea
    •Stomach cramps
    •Enlargement of male breasts
    •Breast pain
    •Lower sex drive
    •Sexual dysfunction
    •Irregular or lack of menstrual periods
    •Leg cramps
    •Higher potassium levels
    •Lower sodium levels
    Common Side Effects for

    Finasteride (Proscar) daily treatment by itself:

    •Inability to have an erection (5-8%)
    •Lower sex drive (3-6%)
    •Decrease in ejaculation amount (2-4%)

    Finasteride (Proscar) taken with doxazosin (Cardura)*:

    •Dizziness (23%)
    •Inability to have an erection (23%)
    •Low blood pressure when getting up (18%)
    •Feeling tired (17%)
    •Abnormal ejaculation (14%)
    •Lower sex drive (12%)

    *Since both finasteride (Proscar) and doxazosin (Cardura) were both taken daily, side effects might not be entirely due to finasteride (Proscar).

  • Warnings of Aldactone vs. Proscar

    Common Side Effects for
    •High blood potassium levels
    •Low blood pressure and kidney problems
    •Abnormal electrolyte levels
    •Breast pain or swelling
    Common Side Effects for
    •Harm to unborn baby
    •Lowered prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels
    •High-risk prostate cancer

  • Prices with our coupons for Aldactone vs. Proscar

    Learn more about Spironolactone
    Learn more about Finasteride

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