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Prefest (Estradiol / Estradiol / Norgestimate) - Summary

 
 



BOX WARNING

WARNING

Estrogens and progestins should not be used for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. (See WARNINGS, Cardiovascular disorders.)

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study reported increased risks of myocardial infarction, stroke, invasive breast cancer, pulmonary emboli, and deep vein thrombosis in postmenopausal women (50 to 79 years of age) during 5 years of treatment with oral conjugated equine estrogens (CE 0.625 mg) combined with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA 2.5 mg) relative to placebo (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Clinical Studies).

The Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS), a substudy of WHI, reported increased risk of developing probable dementia in postmenopausal women 65 years of age or older during 4 years of treatment with oral conjugated estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone acetate relative to placebo. It is unknown whether this finding applies to younger postmenopausal women or to women taking estrogen alone therapy. (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Clinical Studies.)

Other doses of oral conjugated estrogens with medroxyprogesterone acetate, and other combinations and dosage forms of estrogens and progestins were not studied in the WHI clinical trials and, in the absence of comparable data, these risks should be assumed to be similar. Because of these risks, estrogens with or without progestins should be prescribed at the lowest effective doses and for the shortest duration consistent with treatment goals and risks for the individual woman.

 

PREFEST SUMMARY

PREFEST® (ESTRADIOL/NORGESTIMATE) TABLETS

The PREFEST regimen provides for a single oral tablet to be taken once daily. The peach tablet containing 1 mg estradiol is taken on days one through three of therapy; the white tablet containing 1 mg estradiol and 0.09 mg norgestimate is taken on days four through six of therapy. This pattern is then repeated continuously to produce the constant estrogen/intermittent progestogen regimen of PREFEST. The estrogenic component of PREFEST is estradiol, USP.

PREFEST is indicated in women who have a uterus for the:

  1. Treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with the menopause.
  2. Treatment of moderate to severe symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy associated with the menopause. When prescribed solely for the treatment of symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy, topical vaginal products should be considered.
  3. Prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. When prescribing solely for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis, therapy should only be considered for women at significant risk of osteoporosis and nonestrogen medications should be carefully considered.

The mainstays for decreasing the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis are weight bearing exercise, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, and when indicated, pharmacologic therapy. Postmenopausal women require an average of 1500 mg/day of elemental calcium. Therefore, when not contraindicated, calcium supplementation may be helpfulfor women with suboptimal dietary intake. Vitamin D supplementation of 400-800 IU/day may also be required to ensure adequate daily intake in postmenopausal women.


See all Prefest indications & dosage >>

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Published Studies Related to Prefest (Estradiol / Estradiol / Norgestimate)

Bioequivalence of a newly developed 17 beta-estradiol tablet versus an identical reference formulation [2000.10]
Two open-label, randomized studies determined the bioequivalence of a test preparation (Prefest) of micronized 17 beta-estradiol (E2, CAS 50-28-2) tablets as compared with a reference preparation of micronized E2 tablets in healthy postmenopausal women...

more studies >>


Page last updated: 2007-10-18

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