Hormonal patch

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Contraceptive patch for demonstration purposes without active ingredient

Hormonal patches (or contraceptive patches) are one form of administration for hormonal drugs . It is currently used to administer sex hormones , i.e. testosterone or estrogens and / or gestagens . The active ingredient is absorbed through the skin, i.e. transdermally (see transdermal patch ).

The advantages of administration via patches instead of oral preparations or syringes are a very even distribution of the active ingredient and, compared to oral intake, less stress on the liver and the avoidance of the preparation in the digestive tract, and thus a lower dose required (see First- Pass effect ) . A contraceptive patch makes it possible to release hormones over a period of time that cannot be achieved with other types of application.

Hormone patches were initially used on a large scale for the treatment of menopausal symptoms in women, but now also for the treatment of hormone deficiencies in men. Both applications are controversial as long-term applications. Furthermore, contraceptive patches are also used for contraception in women.

Contraception in women

For contraception , the hormone patch works much like the pill. It is stuck to the skin three times in a row for seven days, followed by a week without a patch.

The safety is as high as with the pill ( Pearl index 0.88). The side effects are similar to those of the pill, in addition to skin irritation and a more painful period. But it is safer than the pill for diarrhea / vomiting. The plaster should not be attached to the chest or the insides of the arms and legs and the adhesive points should be changed, as the risk of skin irritation is otherwise increased.

Because of possible increased thrombogenicity compared to the pill, according to the American drug approval authority ( FDA ), if there are risk factors for thromboembolic events, the use of other contraceptive measures should be examined in individual cases. Another study did not find a higher risk of thrombosis compared to the pill.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ FDA : FDA News, January 18, 2008
  2. ↑ Jick S, Kaye JA, Li L, Jick H: Further results on the risk of nonfatal venous thromboembolism in users of the contraceptive transdermal patch compared to users of oral contraceptives containing norgestimate and 35 microg of ethinyl estradiol . In: Contraception . 76, No. 1, July 2007, pp. 4-7. doi : 10.1016 / j.contraception.2007.03.003 . PMID 17586129 .

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