Estradiol/norethisterone acetate

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Estradiol/Norethisterone Acetate

Estradiol/norethisterone acetate (pronunciation: es-tra-DYE-ol/nor-ETH-in-drone AS-e-tate) is a combination medication used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal symptoms.

Etymology

The term estradiol is derived from estrus (period of fertility for female mammals) and diol (a chemical term indicating a certain structure). Norethisterone acetate is a derivative of ethisterone, a progestin hormone first synthesized in the 1930s.

Usage

Estradiol is a form of estrogen, a female sex hormone produced by the ovaries. Norethisterone acetate is a type of progestogen, a synthetic form of the naturally occurring female hormone progesterone. Together, they are used to treat symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, and to prevent osteoporosis.

Related Terms

  • Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): A treatment for relieving the symptoms of menopause.
  • Estrogen: A group of hormones that play an important role in the normal sexual and reproductive development in women.
  • Progesterone: A hormone produced mainly in the ovaries that prepares the lining of the uterus for pregnancy.
  • Osteoporosis: A condition in which bones become weak and brittle.
  • Menopause: The time that marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycles.

Side Effects

Like all medicines, estradiol/norethisterone acetate can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some common side effects include headache, stomach pain, breast pain, irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting, hair loss, vaginal yeast infection, and others.

Precautions

Before starting treatment with estradiol/norethisterone acetate, it is important to discuss your medical history with your doctor, especially if you have a history of breast cancer, uterine cancer, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, or stroke.

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski