Overview
Zytiga is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat prostate cancer. It is used in combination with prednisone to treat two types of advanced prostate cancer: metastatic (advanced) castration-resistant prostate cancer and metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC). People taking Zytiga should also be receiving a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog or should have had bilateral orchiectomy (surgery to remove the testicles). Zytiga is also known by its drug name, abiraterone acetate.

Zytiga is a type of drug known as a CYP17 inhibitor. It works by blocking an enzyme that helps produce androgens (a type of sex hormone like testosterone), which fuel the growth of prostate cancer. By lowering these hormone levels, Zytiga helps slow or stop the growth of cancer cells.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Zytiga is taken by mouth as a tablet once daily. It must be taken on an empty stomach: No food should be eaten for at least two hours before and one hour after taking the drug. Zytiga must be swallowed whole with water and not crushed or chewed. It is taken along with prednisone either once or twice daily, depending on the type of prostate cancer being treated. The drug should be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Zytiga include fatigue, joint pain, hypertension (high blood pressure), nausea, swelling, low potassium levels, hot flashes, diarrhea, vomiting, upper respiratory infection, cough, and headache. Lab tests may show anemia, high levels of certain liver enzymes, high triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood), low white blood cell counts, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and low potassium.

Rare but serious side effects may include mineralocorticoid excess (which can cause high blood pressure, low potassium, and fluid retention), adrenocortical insufficiency (when the adrenal glands do not make enough hormones), severe liver injury, increased risk of bone fractures and death when used with radium Ra 223 dichloride, fetal harm if taken by individuals with partners who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and severe low blood sugar in people with diabetes taking certain diabetes medications.

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Label: Zytiga — Abiraterone Acetate Tablet; Zytiga — Abiraterone Acetate Tablet, Film Coated — DailyMed