Estrogen (Oral Route, Parenteral Route, Topical Application Route, Transdermal Route)

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Estrogen (Oral Route, Parenteral Route, Topical Application Route, Transdermal Route)

US Brand Names

Canadian Brand Names

Description

Estrogens are female hormones. They are produced by the body and are necessary for the normal sexual development of the female and for the regulation of the menstrual cycle during the childbearing years.

The ovaries begin to produce less estrogen after menopause (the change of life). This medicine is prescribed to make up for the lower amount of estrogen. Estrogens help relieve signs of menopause, such as hot flashes and unusual sweating, chills, faintness, or dizziness.

Estrogens are prescribed for several reasons:

• To provide additional hormone when the body does not produce enough of its own, such as during menopause or when female puberty (development of female sexual organs) does not occur on time. Other conditions include a genital skin condition (vulvar atrophy), inflammation of the vagina (atrophic vaginitis), or ovary problems (female hypogonadism or failure or removal of both ovaries).
• To help prevent weakening of bones (osteoporosis) in women past menopause.
• In the treatment of selected cases of breast cancer in men and women.
• In the treatment of cancer of the prostate in men.

Estrogens may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

There is no medical evidence to support the belief that the use of estrogens will keep the patient feeling young, keep the skin soft, or delay the appearance of wrinkles. Nor has it been proven that the use of estrogens during menopause will relieve emotional and nervous symptoms, unless these symptoms are caused by other menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes or hot flushes.

Estrogens are available only with your doctor's prescription.

Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, estrogen is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:

• Gender identity disorder, male-to-female transsexualism (person who is born as a man but adapts to a woman's lifestyle, sees himself as a woman, and feels like a woman instead of a man.
• Osteoporosis caused by lack of estrogen before menopause.
• Turner's syndrome (a genetic disorder).

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

• Tablet
• Patch, Extended Release
• Gel/Jelly
• Spray
• Emulsion
• Tablet, Enteric Coated
• Capsule

Copyright © 2013 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.