Safety, efficacy and patient acceptability of drospirenone and estradiol in the treatment of menopausal vasomotor symptoms: a review

Abstract

During menopause vasomotor symptoms are one of the main complaints about which women seek medical advice. For symptom control, several therapies have been used, among which hormone therapy has produced good results. One of these is estrogen monotherapy, which unfortunately may induce endometrial hyperplasia in women with an intact uterus. A progestin must be added to avoid this risk. Progestins may induce several secondary effects such as breast tenderness, hirsutism, edema and unfavorable lipid profile modifications. Recently a new progestin called drospirenone has been synthesized and used in combination with estradiol for the treatment of postmenopausal women. This progestin is derived from spironolactone, and lacks estrogenic, androgenic and glucocorticoid activities. Several studies have evaluated safety, efficacy and patient tolerability, and have shown a good profile in all these parameters. All studies agree that the combination of estradiol 1 mg plus drospirenone 2 mg is a good choice for postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms.

Climacteric syndrome in women with diabetes mellitus

“…и др. также было показано, что препарат «Анжелик» является оптимальным средством, обеспечивающим дополнительные терапевтические преимущества для ведения периода постменопаузы у женщин с СД и артериальной гипертензией [38].…”

Efficacy of Drospirenone-Containing Hormone Replacement Therapy to Reduce Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause

“…However, it is able to ultimately reduce sodium and water retention through blunting estrogen's ability to activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). As such, adverse effects such as breast tenderness, increases in blood pressure and weight gain would be minimized [2][3][4]. Drospirenone's antiandrogenic properties minimize the untoward dermatological effects often associated with progestin use, such as hirsutism, acne and seborrhea [5,6].…”