Finasteride Elimination and Clinical Implications

Pre-Surgical and Fertility Considerations

• The American Urological Association implies that the effects of finasteride on reducing intraoperative bleeding persist for weeks after stopping the medication, so discontinuation should occur well in advance if bleeding risk is a concern 1
• The FDA recommends that patients should not donate blood until 6 months after the last dose due to risk to pregnant females, despite the drug clearing much faster from plasma 2

Post-Treatment Effects

• The European Association of Urology suggests that sexual side effects may persist beyond the 2-week DHT normalization period in some patients, and post-finasteride syndrome remains a controversial entity with symptoms that may persist after discontinuation 1