Side Effects of Leuprolide Acetate

Leuprolide acetate, or Lupron, is a prescription medication that mimics the actions of a number of hormones naturally produced by your hypothalamus. For men, these hypothalamic chemicals suppress the production of testosterone, while lowering estrogen levels in women. Because of its effects, doctors prescribe leuprolide acetate to treat a number of conditions, including anemia caused by uterine bleeding, the pain of endometriosis, prostate cancer and early puberty in both girls and boys. Despite its effectiveness, leuprolide acetate is not for everyone, as it presents several risks for side effects and complications in some patients.

Significant Side Effects

• The most significant or common side effects of leuprolide acetate usually pose no long-term dangers. Generally, these side effects begin within the first week of usage and continue for only a few weeks thereafter, disappearing as your body becomes acclimated to the drug. Approximately 55 percent of leuprolide acetate users report hot flashes, the most common side effect. Swelling of the face and extremities, body pains and weakness are also common, occurring in at least 10 percent of users.

Other Side Effects

• Leuprolide acetate also has the potential to cause a number of other less common, but not dangerous, side effects. Men being treated with the drug sometimes experience a decrease in testicular size, impotence and a feminine swelling of the breasts, while women may notice breast tenderness or pain. Gastrointestinal side effects of leuprolide acetate include nausea, vomiting, mouth or throat dryness, diarrhea, loss of appetite and constipation. Some patients report neurological symptoms related to the medication's use, such as dizziness, lightheadedness, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, mood swings, nervousness, tingling in the extremities and numbness. Other possible side effects associated with taking leuprolide acetate are bone, muscle or joint pain; dry skin; nasal congestion; frequent urination and an increased incidence of urinary tract infections.

Cardiovascular Side Effects

• Cardiovascular side effects are also experienced while taking leuprolide acetate. The most common of these is ischemia or a change in the amount of blood flow that reaches the heart. Ischemia brings on a number of symptoms, including clammy skin; shortness of breath and pain in your chest, neck, arm or jaw. Other possible cardiovascular side effects of leuprolide acetate include increase in blood pressure and heart murmur. These side effects may pose a threat if you have cardiovascular disease or are at risk for it.

Risks

• In addition to minor side effects and the risk of interactions, leuprolide acetate has the potential to cause serious medical complications. Rarely, the drug causes the formation of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. Serious neurological side effects of leuprolide acetate include memory loss, convulsions, delusions, temporary paralysis and fainting. Infrequently, use of leuprolide acetate leads to cancers of the skin, bladder or ear. Leuprolide acetate also contributes to the onset of osteoporosis or brittleness in the bones in some patients.

Considerations

• Because the effects are potentially toxic, doctors rarely use the drug to treat pregnant women. In addition, oral contraceptive medications interact with leuprolide acetate, causing an increase in harmful side effects for women. Since it has the potential to cause dizziness and drowsiness, you should not operate a motor vehicle or heavy machinery until you know how leuprolide acetate affects you. If you have a history of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, lesions in the spine, difficulty urinating due to inflammation of the prostate or osteoporosis, your doctor is likely not to prescribe leuprolide acetate for you.