Prempro is hormone therapy, consisting of both estrogens and a progestin, that is prescribed for women who have a uterus and who are going through natural menopause. The Prempro medication website specifies it is for women who experience moderate to menopausal symptoms that interfere with their lives enough to require medication. These symptoms include night sweats, hot flashes and vaginal symptoms. While Prempro is effective, it also carries side effects, like other medications.
Vaginal Side Effects
While taking hormone replacement therapy, many women experience light bleeding or spotting occasionally. Many times, this eventually goes away, and the lower dose of hormone you are on, the less bleeding is likely to happen. However, since Prempro is associated with a higher risk of uterine cancer because of the estrogens in the medication, if you experience bleeding, it is best to call your provider to be examined and to find the cause behind the bleeding.
Positive Side Effects
According to the Mayo Clinic, women who are taking hormone replacement therapy like Prempro show a decrease in bone loss after menopause. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures and problems. Women on hormone replacement therapy also have a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. While estrogen does increase the risk for heart attacks, the role of estrogen in early menopause to reduce later risk of heart disease is being studied, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Increased Disease Risk
The Women's Health Initiative study looked at women taking Prempro, and found that there were several health conditions these women had a higher risk of developing. These included heart disease, breast cancer, stroke and blood clots, according to the Mayo Clinic. It was also found that the estrogen in Prempro increased breast density, which had some impact on a rise in abnormal mammogram findings. Despite these findings, estrogen is the standard treatment for menopausal symptoms, and the lowest effective dose of Prempro, or any hormone replacement therapy, should be used to reduce the risk of adverse effects.
