Ethinyl estradiol/drospirenone for the treatment of the emotional and physical symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Abstract

A combined oral contraceptive pill containing 20 μg of ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg of the progestin drospirenone in a novel dose regimen (24 active pills followed by 4 placebo pills), has demonstrated efficacy for the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, with an emphasis on the affective symptoms. Drospirenone has progestagenic, anti-androgenic and anti-aldosterone properties, which differ from earlier generations of progestins, and reducing the hormone pill-free interval allows for better suppression of ovarian steroid production. © 2007 Future Medicine Ltd.