Precautions and Warnings With Anastrozole (Arimidex): 

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider? 

You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to  taking anastrozole (Arimidex®) if you have: 

• Not gone through menopause 
• Osteoporosis  
• High cholesterol 
• Heart disease 
• Any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes, or preservatives. 

Also, let  your healthcare provider know if you are: 

• Pregnant  or thinking of becoming pregnant 
• Breastfeeding. 

Make sure to  tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including  prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. 

Specific Precautions and Warnings With Anastrozole 

Warnings and precautions  to be aware  of prior to taking anastrozole include  the following:

• It is not known if anastrozole is safe  and effective for breast cancer treatment in premenopausal women, although it is sometimes used in an off-label fashion for this use. 
• In one study comparing anastrozole with tamoxifen, some women who took anastrozole had a higher risk for heart attack (or other similar cardiac "events")  or angina. In particular, the risk was increased in women who already had heart disease. An increased risk (compared to tamoxifen) was not seen  for other women.
• Anastrozole may cause high cholesterol. 
• Anastrozole (as well as most medications that decrease the effects of estrogens) can lead to osteoporosis. If  you already  have osteoporosis (or  are at risk for  the condition), your healthcare provider may recommend certain lifestyle changes or medication to protect you from fractures. 
• Anastrozole can interact with other medications. 
• Anastrozole is considered a pregnancy Category X medication. This means that it is likely to cause harm to a fetus during pregnancy. 
• It is not known  if anastrozole passes through breast milk. Therefore, if  you are breastfeeding or plan to start, discuss this with  your healthcare provider prior to taking the drug.

Who Should Not Take Anastrozole? 

You should not take anastrozole if you are allergic  to anastrozole, Arimidex,  or any inactive components used to make anastrozole. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist has  a list  of the inactive ingredients.
  
Precautions and Warnings With Anastrozole: Final Thoughts 

There  are a number of situations in which anastrozole should not be taken, along with several precautions and warnings people should be aware of before taking it. However, it is possible that not all the warnings or precautions were discussed in this article.
 
Therefore, you should talk with your healthcare provider about the specific precautions and warnings with anastrozole that may apply to you.