Effects of the nonsteroidal antiandrogen Casodex on lipoproteins, fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The effect of the nonsteroidal antiandrogen Casodex (176334) on a number of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases was investigated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study comprising 27 evaluable patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia who received either placebo or Casodex at a dosage of 50 mg daily for 24 weeks. We hypothesized that the 30-35% increase in serum levels of testosterone and estradiol seen during treatment with Casodex might induce changes in various risk factors. We found no statistically significant change in total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides. Apolipoproteins A1 and B also remained unchanged, along with plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. Casodex has the potential to become an important drug for treatment of prostatic diseases. Our study does not suggest that the drug is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk.