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Dangers of Prempro

Prempro is a hormone replacement therapy that, according to Prempro.com, provides relief from hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal symptoms. It can also be used to help prevent bone loss due to osteoporosis. It contains estrogens (female hormones) and progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone). It is a combination of the drugs Premarin and Provera. Thousands of patients have sued New Jersey-based drugmaker, Wyeth claiming Prempro caused breast and ovarian cancers as well as strokes.

  1. HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy

    • When a menopausal woman's ovaries no longer naturally produce estrogen, sometimes hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) is used. HRT is the replacement of lost hormones through the use of natural and synthetic medicines, including Prempro.

    Women's Health Initiative Study

    • A study conducted by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) found HRT--specifically, estrogen plus progestin--appears to increase a woman's risk of breast cancer as well as heart disease, blood clots and stroke. The Wyeth website warns, "The estrogen plus progestin substudy of WHI reported increased risks of myocardial infarction, stroke, invasive breast cancer, pulmonary emboli, and DVT in postmenopausal women (50 to 79 years of age) during 5.6 years of treatment with daily CE 0.625 mg combined with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA 2.5 mg), relative to placebo."

    Side Effects

    • Prempro.com lists the side effects of Prempro as: "breast pain/enlargement, vaginitis due to yeast or other causes, leg cramps, vaginal spotting/bleeding, painful menstruation." It also says, "Estrogens increase the chance of getting cancer of the uterus" And, "Using estrogens, with or without progestins, may increase your chance of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens, with or without progestins, may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women age 65 years or older."

    Lawsuits

    • Lawsuits against Wyeth in Nevada and Arkansas have been settled for tens of millions of dollars. A $3 million ruling was overturned by a judge in Pennsylvania due to a lack of evidence. Over 5000 cases still remain.

    Insight

    • As with any drug, a doctor or doctors should always be consulted to determine if any medication is right for you. There are many risks but possibly many benefits when it comes to pharmaceuticals. As of now Prempro is still available on the market.

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