For information on the decrease of serum PSA levels during treatment with dutasteride and guidance concerning prostate cancer detection, see Precautions.
In vitro drug metabolism studies show that dutasteride is metabolised by human cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP3A4. Therefore, blood concentrations of dutasteride may increase in the presence of inhibitors of CYP3A4.
There is a decrease in clearance of dutasteride when co-administered with the CYP3A4 inhibitors verapamil (37%) and diltiazem (44%). In contrast no decrease in clearance was seen when amlodipine, another calcium channel antagonist, was co-administered with dutasteride.
A decrease in clearance and subsequent increase in exposure to dutasteride, in the presence of CYP3A4 inhibitors, is unlikely to be clinically significant due to the wide margin of safety (up to 10 times the recommended dose has been given to patients for up to six months); therefore, no dose adjustment is necessary.
In vitro, dutasteride is not metabolized by human cytochrome P450 isoenzymes CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2E1, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2B6, and CYP2D6.
Dutasteride neither inhibits human cytochrome P450 drug-metabolizing enzymes in vitro nor induces cytochrome P450 isoenzymes CYP1A, CYP2B, and CYP3A in rats and dogs in vivo.
In vitro studies demonstrate that dutasteride does not displace warfarin, diazepam, acenocoumorol, phenprocoumon, or phenytoin from plasma protein, nor do these model compounds displace dutasteride. Compounds that have been tested for drug interactions in man include tamsulosin, terazosin, warfarin, digoxin, and cholestyramine, and no clinically significant pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic interactions have been observed.
No clinically significant adverse interactions were observed when dutasteride was co-administered with anti-hyperlipidemics, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-adrenergic blocking agents, calcium channel blockers, corticosteroids, diuretics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), phosphodiesterase Type V inhibitors, and quinolone antibiotics.