Drospirenone: a novel progestin.
Drospirenone is a novel progestin available in combined oral contraceptives and menopausal hormonal therapy. Similar to its parent compound spirolactone, an analog of spironolactone, drospirenone has antimineralocorticoid and antiandrogenic activity. Combined with ethinyl estradiol in oral contraceptive formulations, drospirenone-containing contraceptives have similar efficacy and safety profiles to other low-dose oral contraceptives, but seem to offer improved tolerability with regard to weight gain, mood changes, acne and treatment of a severe form of premenstrual syndrome called premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Combined with estradiol as a continuous hormone therapy regimen, the compound was shown to reduce vasomotor symptoms, maintain bone mass, have a beneficial effect on body weight and, more importantly, was shown to lower blood pressure in postmenopausal women.
Rapkin
Andrea J
AJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1740, USA. arapkin@mednet.ucla.edu
Winer
Sharon A
SA
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000736:Androstenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000736:Androstenes; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D045167:Progesterone Congeners; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; C035144:drospirenone