abiraterone vs prednisone

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Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and prednisone. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

In a CYP2D6 drug-drug interaction trial, the C max and AUC of dextromethorphan (CYP2D6 substrate) were increased 2.8- and 2.9-fold, respectively, when dextromethorphan was given with abiraterone acetate 1,000 mg daily and prednisone 5 mg twice daily.

Drug Class
abiraterone CYP17 Inhibitor
prednisone Corticosteroid
Type
abiraterone Prescription
prednisone Prescription
Summary
abiraterone

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.

prednisone

Prednisone is a steroid medicine that reduces inflammation in the body. It can treat many different conditions.

What It Treats
abiraterone

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.

prednisone

Prednisone treats conditions like arthritis, severe allergies, asthma, skin problems, and certain cancers. It can also help with lung diseases and problems with your hormone levels. Prednisone can also be used to reduce protein in the urine due to kidney problems.

How It Works
abiraterone

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.

prednisone

Prednisone is a corticosteroid that works by decreasing inflammation. It suppresses your immune system, which reduces swelling and other immune responses. This helps control the symptoms of various diseases.

Common Side Effects
abiraterone
  • Feeling tired
  • Joint pain
  • High blood pressure
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
  • Swelling
prednisone
  • Fluid retention
  • Mood changes
  • Weight gain
  • Increased appetite
  • High blood pressure
FAERS Reports
abiraterone
  • Death 1,390
  • Fatigue 1,023
  • Hot Flush 678
  • Asthenia 562
  • Disease Progression 561
prednisone
  • Fatigue 39,612
  • Pain 36,926
  • Dyspnoea 33,819
  • Arthralgia 32,404
  • Condition Aggravated 27,784
Serious Warnings
abiraterone

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.

prednisone

If you take prednisone for a long time, your body may not produce enough of its own natural steroids. This can make it hard for your body to respond to stress, like during an illness or surgery. You should not stop taking prednisone suddenly, as this can cause serious withdrawal symptoms.

Pregnancy
abiraterone

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.

prednisone

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Prednisone may harm an unborn baby. It can also pass into breast milk and may affect the nursing infant.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This abiraterone vs prednisone Comparison

abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while prednisone sits within the Corticosteroid 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 4,214 submissions while prednisone has 170,545. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to taking these two drugs together can change how your liver processes other common medications, potentially causing those other drugs to build up in your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for abiraterone or prednisone.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.