Are you aware of the serious drug interaction with birth control pills?
Yasmin and Yaz are the two most popular brands of birth control pills in the US Both are combined oral contraceptive pills, which contain a special progestin hormone called drospirenone, which is not found in other combination pills. Both pills contain two main hormones: drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, which protect against pregnancy by up to 99% when taken as directed.
In a recent report published in the well-known journal Contraception, doctors have highlighted that some of the drugs that used to increase potassium may interact with birth control pills containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, which are very present in Yasmin and Yaz. This is so because both pills can increase the potassium level and the interaction with medications, which are also responsible for raising the potassium level, can cause an alarmingly higher potassium level. Potassium retention is found in medications recommended for high blood pressure, treatment of heart problems, anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen). Similarly, this level can also be found in “water retention” types of pills like diuretics.
Yasmin and Yaz birth control pills now come with instructions on the product label for physicians and health care providers who recommend these products for monitoring serum potassium levels in the first month for those patients who are also taking other medications for potassium retention.
It has been found that 18% of the women were taking Yasmin birth control pills along with another potassium retaining drug, surprisingly, these 30% of such cases occurred in the first month of Yasmin birth control pills dosage. Family practice or physicians or OB/GYNs prescribe nearly 18% of women taking Yasmin with other potassium retention medications at the same time.
What drug(s) may interact with drospirenone; ethinyl estradiol?
1. Anastrozole
2. antibiotics or medicines for infections, especially rifampicin, rifabutin, rifapentine and griseofulvin 3. aprepitant, a medicine used for nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy
4. barbiturate drugs to make you sleepy or treat seizures
5.bosentan
6. carbamazepine
7. caffeine
8. clofibrate
9. cyclosporine
10. dantrolene
11. doxercalciferol
12. exemestane
13. Grapefruit juice
14. hydrocortisone
15. Letrozole
16. medicines for anxiety or sleep problems, such as diazepam or temazepam
17. drugs for mental depression
18. medicines for diabetes, including troglitazone and pioglitazone
19 mineral oil
20. modafinil
21. mycophenolate
22.nefazodone
23. oxcarbazepine
24. Phenytoin
25. prednisolone
26. Ritonavir or other drugs for HIV infection or AIDS
27. selegiline
28. Soy Isoflavone Supplements
29. St. John’s wort
30. tamoxifen or raloxifene
31. testolactone
32. theophylline
33. topiramate
34. warfarin
Medicines that can increase your potassium level include:
- Certain medications for high blood pressure or heart conditions (examples include ACE inhibitors such as Altace®, Capoten®, Lotensin®, Mavik®, Monopril®, Prinivil®, Univasc®, Vasotec®, Zestril®, and also ACE blockers angiotensin II receptors such as Atacand®, Avapro®, Cozaar®, Diovan®, Micardis®), as well as eplerenone (Inspra(TM))
- dietary salt substitutes (these may contain potassium)
- heparin
- NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs including Advil®, Aleve®, Ansaid®, Cataflam®, Clinoril®, Daypro®, Feldene®, Indocin®, Lodine®, Naprosyn®, Orudis®, Motrin®, Voltaren®, and others) if taken long-term and daily, such as for arthritis
- potassium supplements
- some ‘water pills’ (diuretics such as Spironolactone or Aldactone®, Dyazide®, Midamor®, Moduretic® and others)
Since Yasmin and YAZ are two popular brands among women and if you plan to opt for either of them for your contraceptive needs, please tell your doctor or health care provider if you were taking any other type of medication, especially those described above. drugs