abiraterone vs fludrocortisone
Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and fludrocortisone Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Zytiga
Florinef
Abiraterone (Zytiga) is a medicine used with prednisone to treat prostate cancer that has spread. It works by lowering the amount of androgen your body makes.
Fludrocortisone is a medicine that helps your body balance salt and fluids. It is used when your adrenal glands don't make enough of certain hormones.
Abiraterone is used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is for cancers that are castration-resistant, meaning they no longer respond to hormone therapy alone. It is also used for high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer. You will take this medicine with prednisone.
This medicine is used to treat Addison's disease and salt-losing adrenogenital syndrome. These conditions happen when your adrenal glands don't make enough of certain hormones. Fludrocortisone helps your body hold onto salt and water, which is important for these conditions.
Abiraterone blocks an enzyme called CYP17, which your body needs to make androgens. Androgens can help prostate cancer grow. By blocking this enzyme, abiraterone lowers androgen levels and slows cancer growth.
Fludrocortisone is a mineralocorticoid. It works by helping your body to retain sodium and water. This helps to increase blood volume and blood pressure.
- • Feeling tired
- • Joint pain
- • High blood pressure
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Swelling
- • High blood pressure
- • Swelling in your hands, feet, or ankles
- • Enlarged heart
- • Heart failure
- • Loss of potassium
- Death 1,390
- Feeling tired 1,022
- Hot flash 678
- Weakness 562
- Worsening of disease 561
- Feeling tired 146
- Falling down 144
- Feeling lightheaded 135
- Feeling sick to your stomach 129
- Death 126
Abiraterone can cause problems with mineralocorticoid excess, like high blood pressure, low potassium, and fluid retention. If you have heart problems, your doctor will monitor you closely. This medicine can also cause liver problems, which can be severe. Your doctor will check your liver function regularly. Do not take abiraterone with radium Ra 223 dichloride. Abiraterone can harm an unborn baby, so men should use effective birth control if their partner can get pregnant.
This medicine may cause you to retain too much sodium and water, leading to high blood pressure, swelling, and heart problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. This medicine can also interact with other medicines, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking.
Abiraterone can cause harm to an unborn baby. Men who are taking abiraterone should use effective birth control during treatment and for 3 weeks after the last dose if their partner is able to get pregnant. It is not known if abiraterone passes into breast milk.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.
How to Read This abiraterone vs fludrocortisone Comparison
abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while fludrocortisone sits within the Mineralocorticoid class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, abiraterone has 4,213 submissions while fludrocortisone has 680. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between abiraterone and fludrocortisone — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.