Drospirenone

Drospirenone, sold under the brand names Yasmin and Angeliq among others, is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills to prevent pregnancy and in menopausal hormone therapy, among other uses. It is available only in combination with an estrogen and is not available alone. The medication is taken by mouth. Drospirenone, sold under the brand names Yasmin and Angeliq among others, is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills to prevent pregnancy and in menopausal hormone therapy, among other uses. It is available only in combination with an estrogen and is not available alone. The medication is taken by mouth. Rare side effects of drospirenone may include high potassium levels and blood clots, among others. Drospirenone is a progestin, or a synthetic progestogen, and hence is an agonist of the progesterone receptor, the biological target of progestogens like progesterone. It has additional antimineralocorticoid and antiandrogenic activity and no other important hormonal activity. Because of its antimineralocorticoid activity, drospirenone is said to more closely resemble bioidentical progesterone than other progestins. Drospirenone was patented in 1976 and introduced for medical use in 2000. It is available widely throughout the world. The medication is sometimes referred to as a 'fourth-generation' progestin. It is available as a generic medication. In 2016 the version with ethinylestradiol was the 109th most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 6 million prescriptions. Drospirenone is an ingredient in some birth control pills and is used in menopausal hormone therapy. In combination with ethinylestradiol it is used as contraception, and for women who want contraception it is also approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat moderate acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Although FDA-approved, this does come with a higher risk of blood clots than with other contraceptives containing other progestins, and therefore all individuals would have to be individually assessed for appropriateness. Studies have found that the Yaz formulation was superior to placebo in reducing premenstrual emotional and physical symptoms while also improving quality of life. Angeliq, a drospirenone and estradiol combination, has also been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms and/or vaginal atrophy associated with menopause. The FDA has several approved indications for combined estrogen and drospirenone preparations. They are approved as a first-line therapy for menopausal symptoms such as the relief of hot flashes. Additionally, they have been shown to reduce the occurrence of bone fractures in postmenopausal women. Drospirenone is sold as a combined birth control pill under the brand names Yasmin (US, EU, Latin America), Jasmine (France), Yarina (Russia) in a dosage containing drospirenone 3 mg/ethinylestradiol 30 µg. In the United States, Bayer Schering released a pill based on Yasmin with the B vitamin folate (B9), which is marketed under the names Safyral and Beyaz. Worldwide it is also sold under the brand names Yaz and Yasminelle in a lower dosage containing drospirenone 3 mg/ethinylestradiol 20 µg. The drug is also available in combination with estradiol for use in menopausal hormone therapy. Drospirenone is not available on its own (i.e., as a standalone medication). Drospirenone is a component of oral contraceptive formulations including the following: In addition to contraindications common to all combined estrogen–progestin medications, drospirenone-containing medications are contraindicated in women with severe chronic kidney disease according to European Medicines Agency (EMA)-approved labels, and contraindicated in women with chronic kidney disease, adrenal insufficiency, or liver disease according to FDA-approved labels.