The mixture of drospirenone (a progestin with antialdosterone effects) and 17-[beta]-estradiol as ho...

1. high blood pressure 11
The mixture of drospirenone (a progestin with antialdosterone effects) and 17-[beta]-estradiol as
hormone therapy for hypertensive postmenopausal women not just reduces their hot flashes, but
lowers their blood pressure levels as well, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting
from the Usa College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Treatment with the blend of drospirenone and 17-[beta]-estradiol to have an 8-week period produced
significant reductions in systolic and diastolic 24-hour ambulatory and clinic blood pressure levels at
2- and three-mg doses of drospirenone, reported Dr. William B. White, professor of medicine with
the University of Connecticut, Farmington.
Drospirenone plus estradiol has been utilized for the treating of menopausal symptoms and is Food
and Drug Administration-approved just for this indication in a dose of .5 mg drospirenone/1 mg
estradiol (marketed in america as Angeliq by Berlex Laboratories Inc.). During its development, it
was noted that in a higher drospirenone dose, the mixture also had antihypertensive properties. It is
actually being utilized inAsia and Europe, and the other world at the dose of 2 mg drospirenone/1
mg estradiol, Dr. White told this news organization.
In the multicenter (42 United states centers and 22 European centers) trial, Dr. White with his
fantastic colleagues evaluated the blood pressure-lowering efficacy of varied doses of drospirenone 2
and 1, or 3 mg) along with 1 mg of estradiol in 750 postmenopausal women aged 45-75 years, by
having an untreated systolic hypertension of 140-179 mm Hg and untreated diastolic blood pressure
of 90-109 mm Hg. They also evaluated estradiol alone to elicit data around the effects of estrogen on
ambulatory hypertension, about which little is known, wrote Dr. White.
Furthermore, because drugs which induce aldosterone blockade have shown to increase serum
potassium, the researchers evaluated the metabolic results of the mixture therapy.

2. After a single-blind, placebo phase for 3-four weeks to establish baseline blood pressure and
laboratory values, the ladies were randomized to one of many three combination treatment arms, to
estradiol alone, or to placebo. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was done at
baseline and at 8 weeks.
Drospirenone with the 2-mg dose reduced clinical systolic and diastolic blood pressures by a mean of
12.9 and 1.2 mm Hg, respectively; and by a mean of 13.8 and 8.5 mm Hg, respectively with the 3-mg
dose. Drospirenone at the 1-mg dose was less effective, reducing systolic BP from a mean of 9.8 mm
Hg and diastolic BP by way of a mean of 7. mm Hg. The hypertension-lowering effect of estradiol (-
7.6 mm Hg systolic and -5.9 mm Hg diastolic) was similar to that seen with placebo, Dr. White
wrote.

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spirenone also high blood pressure symptoms had marginal benefits compared to placebo and
estradiol alone, he added, though reductions in ambulatory blood pressure showed findings just like
clinic readings.
Modifications in potassium levels were similar in all of the groups: Five patients in all of the
drospirenone groups and five from the placebo group designed a serum potassium below or equal to
5.5 mEq/L. The mean maximal change from baseline in drospirenone-treated patients had not been
significantly different one of the five treatment groups and ranged between .29 mEq/L and .37
mEq/L.
Concerning the combination's effect on lipid levels, LDL and total levels of cholesterol
http://answers.webmd.com/search-results?ques=what%20is%20normal%20blood%20pressure also
were lowered significantly in women taking estradiol and drospirenone, having a 13.6-mg/dL drop in
LDL cholesterol at the 3-mg dose, a 10.4-mg/dL drop in the 2-mg dose, along with a 12.2 drop at the
1-mg dose. Triglyceride levels were not affected, Dr. White wrote.

4. According to drospirenone dose;
those seen by using a frequency in
excess of 2% included breast
discomfort, vaginal bleeding or
spotting, and upper respiratory
infection, according to the
researchers, unwanted effects
varied.
"This really is a novel progestin
which actually impacts upon
aldosterone and thus carries a
dose-related lowering of blood
pressure level--specially the
systolic blood pressure--which is
associated to cardiovascular risk. We actually studied a complete spectrum of doses, together with
estradiol alone and placebo, so the strength of the research is we actually had these two control
groups showing that, in fact, it had been the drospirenone that was the most important factor that
lowered the blood pressure. Plus it did that without having significant metabolic consequences," Dr.
White said in an interview. Dr. White disclosed which he functions as a consultant for Berlex
Laboratories Inc., which markets Angeliq, as well as other pharmaceutical companies.