Serious renal, hepatic, or cardiac disease due to edema formation. Discontinue if hypercalcemia occurs. Androgens may also cause virilization in females or precocious sexual development in males. Geriatric clients may manifest an increased risk of prostatic hypertrophy or prostatic carcinoma. Androgen therapy occasionally seems to accelerate metastatic breast carcinoma in women.
Liver toxicity is the most serious side effect.
Rarely, hepatic necrosis, hepatocellular neoplasms peliosis hepatis, acute intermittent porphyria in clients with this disease. Retention of sodium, chloride, calcium, potassium, phosphates. Hypercalcemia, especially in immobilized clients or those with metastatic breast carcinoma. Virilization in women. In children, disturbances of growth, premature closure of epiphyses, precocious sexual development.