abiraterone vs spironolactone (acne)
Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and spironolactone (acne). Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
• Abiraterone: May increase prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels ( 7.7 ). 7.7 Abiraterone Spironolactone binds to the androgen receptor and may increase prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in abiraterone-treated prostate cancer patients. Concomitant use of spironolactone and abiraterone is not recommended.
Recommendation: It is recommended that you do not use these two medicines together. Talk to your healthcare provider about using a different treatment for your condition.
Zytiga
Aldactone
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.
Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a medicine that helps remove extra fluid from your body and lower blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs called anti-androgens.
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.
Spironolactone can treat heart failure by helping you live longer, managing swelling, and reducing hospital visits. It also treats high blood pressure, which lowers the risk of strokes and heart attacks. This medicine can also manage swelling caused by liver problems or a kidney problem called nephrotic syndrome when other treatments don't work well enough. It can also treat primary hyperaldosteronism, a condition where your body makes too much aldosterone.
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.
Spironolactone blocks a hormone called aldosterone in your body. Aldosterone causes your body to hold onto sodium and water. By blocking aldosterone, spironolactone helps your body get rid of extra fluid and lower blood pressure.
- • Feeling tired
- • Joint pain
- • High blood pressure
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Swelling
- • Breast enlargement in men
- • Changes in periods
- • Decreased sex drive
- • Dizziness
- • Headache
- Death 1,390
- Feeling tired 1,022
- Hot flash 678
- Weakness 562
- Worsening of disease 561
No adverse event reports.
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.
Spironolactone can cause high potassium levels in your blood. Your doctor will check your potassium levels regularly, especially if you have kidney problems or take other medicines that can raise potassium. This medicine can also cause low blood pressure or make kidney problems worse. Tell your doctor if you have liver problems, as this medicine can cause problems with brain function.
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.
Spironolactone may affect the sex organs of a baby boy if taken during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the risks if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if spironolactone passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while taking this medicine.
How to Read This abiraterone vs spironolactone (acne) Comparison
abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while spironolactone (acne) sits within the Anti-Androgen 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 spironolactone (acne) has 0. 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to spironolactone can interfere with the way abiraterone works against prostate cancer and may cause certain lab tests to show higher cancer markers. this makes it difficult for your doctor to track your progress.. 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 spironolactone (acne) - 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.