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 numb er of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases was investigated in a d ouble-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study comprising 27 evalua ble patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia who received either pla cebo or Casodex at a dosage of 50 mg daily for 24 weeks. We hypothesiz ed that the 30-35% increase in serum levels of testosterone and estrad iol seen during treatment with Casodex might induce changes in various risk factors. We found no statistically significant change in total c holesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprot ein cholesterol, and triglycerides. Apolipoproteins Al and B also rema ined unchanged, along with plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and pla sminogen activator inhibitor 1. Casodex has the potential to become an important drug for treatment of prostatic diseases. Our study does no t suggest that the drug is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk.