Search
Levlen, Levora, Nordette
30 ug ethinyl estradiol (estrogen) plus 0.15 mg levonorgestrel (progestin)
Indications:
1) prevention of pregnancy
2) treatment of hypermenorrhea
3) endometriosis
4) female hypogonadism
Contraindications:
pregnancy-category X
safety in lactation -
Pharmacokinetics: elimination: liver
Adverse effects:
1) common (> 10%)
- nausea, peripheral edema, breast enlargement, breast tenderness, anorexia, bloating
2) not common (1-10%)
- vomiting, diarrhea, increased libido, headache
3) uncommon (< 1%)
- intolerance to contact lenses, breast tumors, amenorrhea, alterations in mestrual flow, hypertension, thromboembolism, stroke, myocardial infarction, edema, depression, dizziness, anxiety, chloasma, melasma, rash, hyperglycemia, GI distress, increased serum triglycerides, increased LDL, cholestatic jaundice, increased susceptibility to Candida infection
Drug interactions:
- barbiturates, carbamazepine, cyclosporine, griseofulvin, penicillins, phenytoin, rifampin, tetracyclines
Interactions
drug adverse effects of estrogens
General
monophasic oral contraceptive
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel (Jolessa, Lessina, Chateal EQ)
Database Correlations
PUBCHEM cid=24706
References
- The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed.
Gilman et al, eds. Permagon Press/McGraw Hill, 1996
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug
Formulary, 1998