Education and Support

Useful resources

In this collection of useful resources, learn more about ARIMIDEX from key opinion leaders through videos and e-Details. Get suggestions for helping patients adhere to treatment, along with access to both practice and patient support resources.

Request to have an AstraZeneca representative contact you with more information about Arimidex

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Video lectures from experts in the hormonal treatment of early- and advanced-stage breast cancer

Register for the Hormonal Aspects of Breast Cancer Web-based Lecture Series

Important Information About Arimidex® (anastrozole) Tablets

Arimidex is indicated for adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.

Arimidex is indicated for first-line treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-unknown locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer and for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women with disease progression following tamoxifen therapy. Patients with estrogen receptor-negative disease and patients who did not respond to previous tamoxifen therapy rarely responded to Arimidex.

Important Safety Information About Arimidex

  • Arimidex is only for postmenopausal women. Arimidex can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Before starting treatment with Arimidex, pregnancy must be excluded (see WARNINGS section of full Prescribing Information)
  • In women with preexisting ischemic heart disease 465/6186 (7.5%), an increased incidence of ischemic cardiovascular events occurred with Arimidex (17%) vs tamoxifen (10%). In this patient population, angina pectoris was reported in 25/216 (11.6%) vs 13/249 (5.2%) and myocardial infarction was reported in 2/216 (0.9%) vs 8/249 (3.2%) patients receiving Arimidex and tamoxifen, respectively
  • Compared to baseline, Arimidex showed a mean decrease in both lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density. Tamoxifen showed a mean increase in these measurements. Nine percent of patients receiving Arimidex had an elevated serum cholesterol vs 3.5% of patients receiving tamoxifen
  • Common side effects seen with Arimidex vs tamoxifen in the early breast cancer trial after 5 years of treatment include hot flashes (36% vs 41%), joint disorders (including arthritis, arthrosis, arthralgia) (36% vs 29%), asthenia (19% vs 18%), mood disturbances (19% vs 18%), pain (17% vs 16%), pharyngitis (14% vs 14%), nausea and vomiting (13% vs 12%), rash (11% vs 13%), depression (13% vs 12%), hypertension (13% vs 11%), osteoporosis (11% vs 7%), peripheral edema (10% vs 11%), lymphedema (10% vs 11%), back pain (10% vs 10%), insomnia (10% vs 9%), and headache (10% vs 8%). Fractures, including fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist, occurred more often with Arimidex vs tamoxifen (10% vs 7%)
  • In the advanced breast cancer studies, the most common (occurring with an incidence of >10%) side effects occurring in women taking Arimidex included hot flashes, nausea, asthenia, pain, headache, back pain, bone pain, increased cough, dyspnea, pharyngitis, and peripheral edema. Joint pain/stiffness has been reported in association with the use of Arimidex
  • Clinical and pharmacokinetic results suggest that tamoxifen should not be administered with Arimidex. Estrogen-containing therapies should not be used with Arimidex as they may diminish its pharmacologic action

Please click here for full Prescribing Information.