Archive for the ‘Hormones’ Category
A drug that blocks the action of progesterone, a hormone that is essential for maintaining a pregnancy. Mifepristone is used to induce abortion up to the 20th week of pregnancy. It is taken by mouth under medical supervision; if the pregnancy is more advanced than 9 weeks gemeprost pessaries may need to be given in addition. Mifepristone is also used for softening and dilating the cervix (neck of the uterus)
before mechanical termination of pregnancy. It is available as tablets on prescription only.
Side effects: include malaise, faintness, headache, nausea, vomiting, rashes, vaginal bleeding (sometimes severe), and (especially after gemeprost) pain in the uterus.
Precautions: mifepristone should not be used if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected or in women with chronic adrenal failure or taking long-term corticosteroids or anticoagulants. It should not be used in combination with gameprost by women over 35 who smoke. Alcohol and smoking must be avoided for two days before gemeprost treatment and on the day of this treatment. Mifepristone should be used with caution by women with asthma, heart, liver or kidney disease, and during breastfeeding. Interactions with other drugs: Aspirin and NSAIDs: should not be taken for at least 8-12 days after mifepristone treatment.
Proprietary preparation: Mifegyne.
A long-acting analogue of somatostatin, a hormone that is produced in the brain, gastrointestinal tract, and pancreas and inhibits the release of growth hormone. It is used for the short-term treatment of patients awaiting surgery for acromegaly (a condition due to excessive secretion of growth hormone by a tumour of the pituitary gland) and for the long-term treatment of acromegaly that does not respond to surgery, Mopamine receptor antagonists, or radiotherapy. It can also be used as an interim treatment until radiotherapy has been effective in reducing concentrations of growth hormone. Lanreotide is also used
to inhibit the secretions (and thus relieve the symptoms) of hormone-secreting tumours of the gastrointestinal tract. It is available as an injection on prescription only.
Side effects: include pain, stinging, and swelling at the injection site, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain; gallstones may develop with long-term treatment.
Precautions: lanreotide should not be given to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Diabetic patients may need to reduce their dosage of insulin or oral antidiabetic drugs. Gall-bladder function should be
monitored. Lanreotide should be withdrawn gradually at the end of treatment.
Interactions with other drugs:
Antidiabetic drugs: doses of these may need to be reduced.
Cyclosporin: lanreotide reduces the absorption of cyclosporin.
Proprietary preparation: Somatuline LA.
