Aldactone vs. Accutane

• Are Aldactone and Accutane the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Aldactone?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Accutane?
• What Is Aldactone?
• What Is Accutane?
• What Drugs Interact with Aldactone?
• What Drugs Interact with Accutane?
• How Should Aldactone Be Taken?
• How Should Accutane Be Taken?

Aldactone (spironolactone) and Accutane (isotretinoin) are used to treat acne.

Aldactone is used off-label for acne. Aldactone is typically used to reduce fluid retention (edema) caused by heart, liver or kidney problems, high blood pressure (hypertension), and certain patients with hyperaldosteronism.

The brand name Accutane is discontinued in the U.S., but generic versions are available.

Aldactone is an aldosterone receptor antagonist and Accutane is a retinoid.

Common side effects of Aldactone include:

• skin rash,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• gas, and
• stomach pain.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Aldactone including irregular heart rate, muscle pain or weakness, urinating less than usual, shallow breathing, tremors, confusion, or a severe skin reaction, hyperkalemia (high levels of potassium in the blood), and numbness.

Common side effects of Accutane include:

• dry skin,
• itching,
• rash,
• dry nose,
• nosebleeds,
• cracks in the corners of the mouth,
• dry mouth,
• dry lips,
• cracking or peeling skin,
• inflammation of the whites of the eyes,
• dry eyes,
• joint pain,
• back pain,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• nervousness, or
• changes in your fingernails or toenails.

Aldactone (spironolactone) is an aldosterone receptor antagonist that causes the kidneys to remove water and sodium from the body, with reduced losses of potassium. Aldactone is used to reduce edema caused by heart, liver or kidney problems, high blood pressure (hypertension), and certain patients with hyperaldosteronism.

Accutane (isotretinoin) is a retinoid used for the treatment and prevention of severe acne. The brand name Accutane is discontinued in the U.S., but generic formulations are available.

Aldactone may interact with lithium or steroids.

Aldactone may also interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety), digoxin, ACE inhibitors, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Accutane may interact with steroids, seizure medications, or tetracycline antibiotics

Aldactone is available in 25, 50 and 100 mg tablets. Because of tumor formation in experimental animals, use in pregnancy should be avoided unless the benefits outweigh the potential risks to the fetus; women who are breastfeeding are advised not to use Aldactone. In addition, the drug should not be used to decrease the normal edema of pregnancy. An active metabolite of Aldactone appears in breast milk. Breastfeeding while using Aldactone is not recommended. If use of Aldactone is deemed essential, an alternative method of infant feeding should be used.

The recommended dose of Accutane is 0.5 to 2 mg per kg of body weight daily.