Estradiol-Drospirenone
Pronounced
"droh-SPYE-re-none/ess-truh-DYE-all"
Uses
This medication is used to reduce menopause symptoms. It helps reduce episodes of flushing and sweating of the upper body and face, commonly called hot flashes. It also helps treat dryness, itching, and burning around the vagina. These symptoms occur when a woman's body no longer makes the usual amount of estrogen. This medication is a combination of 2 types of hormones: an estrogen (estradiol) and a progestin (drospirenone). A progestin is added to estrogen replacement therapy to reduce the risk of cancer of the uterus. A woman who has had her uterus removed does not need progestin and should not be treated with this combination medication.
If you need treatment only for vaginal menopause symptoms, products applied directly inside the vagina should be considered before medications that are taken by mouth, absorbed through the skin, or injected.
Warning
Rarely, very serious side effects have occurred when estrogen-only and combination hormone replacement therapies (estrogen and progestin HRT) are used after menopause. Discuss the risks and benefits of hormone treatment and your personal health history with your doctor.
Combination HRT should not be used to prevent heart disease or dementia. Combination HRT can rarely cause heart disease (such as heart attacks), stroke, serious blood clots (pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis), dementia, and breast cancer. The risk for stroke and breast cancer increases with age, especially for women older than 75. Estrogens may also increase the risk of cancer of the ovaries. Some of these risks appear to depend on the length of time this drug is used and the amount of estrogen per dose. This medication should be used for the shortest possible length of time at the lowest effective dose, so you can obtain the benefits and minimize the chance of serious side effects from long-term treatment. Discuss the details with your doctor and check with him/her regularly (such as every 3-6 months) to see if you still need to take this medication.
If you use this drug for an extended time, you should have a complete physical exam at regular intervals (such as once a year) or as directed by your doctor. See Notes section.
Other Uses
This section contains uses of this drug that are not listed in the approved professional labeling for the drug but that may be prescribed by your health care professional. Use this drug for a condition that is listed in this section only if it has been so prescribed by your health care professional.
Certain combination HRT products may also be prescribed for bone loss (osteoporosis) in people at high risk who cannot take other drugs that are safe and effective to prevent or treat bone loss (such as raloxifene, bisphosphonates such as alendronate). These medicines should be considered for use before estrogen/progestin HRT therapy for osteoporosis.
How to Use This Medication
Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start using this medication and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually once daily. Take this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day.
Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it worsens.
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