Prostate Drugs Under Investigation for Link to Heart Problems and Diabetes, Says FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently analyzing data to determine if popular drugs used for prostate cancer treatment may be linked to diabetes and heart problems.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) antagonists, the drugs being examined by the FDA, suppress testosterone, the hormone which propels the progress of prostate cancer.

Six studies that showed a small rise in risk of diabetes and heart disease in patients using GnRH antagonists when compared to other prostate cancer therapies are under examination by the FDA.

Medications involved in the study include the brands Eligard, Lupron, Zoladex, Trelstar, Vantas, and Synarel. The FDA noted on Monday that patients using these medications should be monitored for cardiovascular disease or diabetic onset during treatment. Patients taking GnRH antagonists may be at an increased risk of stroke or heart attack.

This investigation into GnRH antagonists comes after recommendations made by the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and American Urological Association for further research into these medications in the February 2010 issue of the journal Circulation.

Additionally, GnRH antagonists are occasionally prescribed to women to treat endometriosis, uterine fibroid-related anemia, and breast cancer.

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