A class of drugs used to treat prostate cancer will now have additional warning labels regarding their potential to increase the risk of severe cardiovascular problems such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
The drug class, known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, are widely used in the United States and elsewhere. The drugs are a form of hormonal therapy. Drugs within this class include Eligard, Lupron, Trelstar, Viadur, and Zoladex.
The FDA only announced the new warning labels recently, but had been studying the situation since May when it had reviewed the safety status of these drugs.
There are no plans to pull any of these drugs from market and patients are not being advised to quit taking their medication. Patients currently taking these medications should consult with their doctors with any questions they may have.
