SIDE EFFECTS
The following events have been reported in association with the use of DANOCRINE:
Androgen like effects include weight gain, acne and seborrhea. Mild hirsutism,
edema, hair loss, voice change, which may take the form of hoarseness, sore
throat or of instability or deepening of pitch, may occur and may persist after
cessation of therapy. Hypertrophy of the clitoris is rare.
Other possible endocrine effects are menstrual disturbances including spotting,
alteration of the timing of the cycle and amenorrhea. Although cyclical bleeding
and ovulation usually return within 60-90 days after discontinuation of therapy
with DANOCRINE, persistent amenorrhea has occasionally been reported.
Flushing, sweating, vaginal dryness and irritation and reduction in breast
size, may reflect lowering of estrogen. Nervousness and emotional lability have
been reported. In the male a modest reduction in spermatogenesis may be evident
during treatment. Abnormalities in semen volume, viscosity, sperm count, and
motility may occur in patients receiving long-term therapy.
Hepatic dysfunction, as evidenced by reversible elevated serum enzymes and/or
jaundice, has been reported in patients receiving a daily dosage of DANOCRINE
of 400 mg or more. It is recommended that patients receiving DANOCRINE be monitored
for hepatic dysfunction by laboratory tests and clinical observation. Serious
hepatic toxicity including cholestatic jaundice, peliosis hepatis, and hepatic
adenoma have been reported. (See WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS.)
Abnormalities in laboratory tests may occur during therapy with DANOCRINE including
CPK, glucose tolerance, glucagon, thyroid binding globulin, sex hormone binding
globulin, other plasma proteins, lipids and lipoproteins.
The following reactions have been reported, a causal relationship to the administration
of DANOCRINE has neither been confirmed nor refuted; allergic: urticaria,
pruritus and rarely, nasal congestion; CNS effects: headache,
nervousness and emotional lability, dizziness and fainting, depression, fatigue,
sleep disorders, tremor, paresthesias, weakness, visual disturbances, and rarely,
benign intracranial hypertension, anxiety, changes in appetite, chills, and
rarely convulsions, Guillain-Barre syndrome; gastrointestinal: gastroenteritis,
nausea, vomiting, constipation, and rarely, pancreatitis and splenic peliosis;
musculoskeletal: muscle cramps or spasms, or pains, joint pain, joint
lockup, joint swelling, pain in back, neck, or extremities, and rarely, carpal
tunnel syndrome which may be secondary to fluid retention; genitourinary:
hematuria, prolonged posttherapy amenorrhea; hematologic: an increase
in red cell and platelet count. Reversible erythrocytosis, leukocytosis or polycythemia
may be provoked. Eosinophilia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia have also been
noted. Skin: rashes (maculopapular, vesicular, papular, purpuric, petechial),
and rarely, sun sensitivity, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and erythema multiforme;
other: increased insulin requirements in diabetic patients, change in
libido, myocardial infarction, palpitation, tachycardia, elevation in blood
pressure, interstitial pneumonitis, and rarely, cataracts, bleeding gums, fever,
pelvic pain, nipple discharge. Malignant liver tumors have been reported in
rare instances, after long-term use.
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Prolongation of prothrombin time occurs in patients stabilized on warfarin.
Therapy with danazol may cause an increase in carbamazepine levels in patients
taking both drugs.
Danazol can cause insulin resistance. Caution should be exercised when used
with antidiabetic drugs.
Danazol may raise the plasma levels of cyclosporin and tacrolimus, leading
to an increase of the renal toxicity of these drugs. Monitoring of systemic
concentrations of these drugs and appropriate dose adjustments may be needed
when used concomitantly with danazol.
Danazol can increase the calcemic response to synthetic vitamin D analogs in
primary hypoparathyroidism.
The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis is increased by concomitant administration
of danazol with statins such as simvastatin, atorvastatin and lovastatin. Caution
should be exercised if used concomitantly. Consult the product labeling for
statin drugs for specific information on dose restrictions in presence of danazol.
Laboratory Tests
Danazol treatment may interfere with laboratory determinations of testosterone,
androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone. Other metabolic events include a
reduction in thyroid binding globulin and T4 with increased uptake of T3, but
without disturbance of thyroid stimulating hormone or of free thyroxin index.