As with any medication, there are potential side effects and risks to be aware of.
Potential Side Effects, Risks, and Complications
Each medication has been around for years, establishing a solid history of side effects, along with potential risks and complications.
For finasteride, side effects include:
In addition, some men may experience persistent ED, even after stopping finasteride.
Side effects for tadalafil include:
- Headache
- Skin flushing
- Acid reflux
- Back, stomach, muscle, arm, or leg pain
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Dizziness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Vision changes
- Hearing loss
- An erection lasting longer than four hours
It’s also important to point out that while compounded drugs — like finasteride/tadalafil for hair loss/ED treatment — can be useful in some cases, they’re not approved by the FDA. Compounded medications can come with quality control, ingredient issues, and other types of risks, Brahmbhatt says — including patient injury or even death. “Where things get fuzzy is the one-pill combo itself — especially because it’s compounded. You start wondering about dose consistency and long-term data,” he says. “For example: What doses and ingredients are you actually getting?”
Who Should Try (or Avoid) Combo Treatments for Men
Some people may be better suited to try a hair loss-ED combination medication than others.
For the FDA-approved use of finasteride/tadalafil, the ideal candidates are men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms and an enlarged prostate.
While there isn’t an official candidate for the compounded finasteride/tadalafil combination to treat hair loss and ED together, the best fit may be men with male pattern baldness who also truly have erectile dysfunction or urinary symptoms, Brahmbhatt says.
According to the FDA-approved medication label, men who should avoid this combo drug include those who:
- Take nitrate medications (such as nitroglycerin)
- Have had a heart attack within the last three months
- Have had a stroke within the last six months
- Have severe liver or kidney disease
- Are allergic to either medication
In addition, finasteride/tadalafil should be used with caution if you have a new or unexplained case of erectile dysfunction that hasn’t been evaluated by a healthcare professional yet, Brahmbhatt says.
Read the full article here
