The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to worry that the birth-control hormone drospirenone might cause a blood clot that could travel to the lungs. Called a pulmonary embolism, this is a life-threatening condition. The popular birth control pills Yaz® and Yasmin® are among a number of birth control pills that contain drospirenone.
There is a two to three times increased risk of venous thromboembolism events (VTEs) in women using drospirenone-containing hormones compared to women using birth control medication containing levonorgestrel, according to two studies conducted in 2011.
A VTE can be deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot that forms in a vein, usually in the leg. If the blood clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolism, which becomes life-threatening if it blocks an artery.
The FDA said it reviewed the results of the two studies and has funded another study to compare the risk for blood clots from several types of hormonal birth control pills. The FDA is still analyzing the results of this study. Preliminary results suggest the risk of blood clots in women on the drospirenone-containing drugs is one and a half times the risk of blood clots in women taking other hormonal contraceptives.
According to the agency, conflicting results of six published studies and the study the FDA paid for will be discussed Dec. 8, 2011, at an FDA advisory committee meeting. Attendees will focus on the risks and benefits of drospirenone.
If you are taking Yaz®, Yasmin® or another birth control that contains drospirenone, call your doctor if you develop any one of the following symptoms of blood clots:
- Persistent leg pain
- Severe chest pain
- Sudden shortness of breath
The FDA warns against taking combination oral contraceptives (those containing both estrogen and progestin) if you smoke and are older than 35. This can increase the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems, including blood clots.
For more information about the risk of blood clots in patients taking Yaz® or Yasmin®, contact us today.
