Society and culture
Generic names
Drospirenone is the generic name of the drug and its INN, USAN, BAN, and JAN, while drospirénone is its DCF. Its name is a shortened form of the name 1,2-dihydrospirorenone or dihydrospirenone. Drospirenone is also known by its developmental code names SH-470 and ZK-30595 (alone), BAY 86-5300, BAY 98-7071, and SH-T-00186D (in combination with ethinylestradiol), BAY 86-4891 (in combination with estradiol), and FSN-013 (in combination with estetrol). Brand names
Drospirenone is marketed in combination with an estrogen under a variety of brand names throughout the world. Among others, it is marketed in combination with ethinylestradiol under the brand names Yasmin and Yaz, in combination with estetrol under the brand name Nextstellis, and in combination with estradiol under the brand name Angeliq. Availability
Drospirenone is marketed widely throughout the world. Generation
Drospirenone has been categorized as a "fourth-generation" progestin. Litigation
Many lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, the manufacturer of drospirenone, due to the higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) that has been observed with combined birth control pills containing drospirenone and certain other progestins relative to the risk with levonorgestrel-containing combined birth control pills.In July 2012, Bayer notified its stockholders that there were more than 12,000 such lawsuits against the company involving Yaz, Yasmin, and other birth control pills with drospirenone.
Chronic treatment with supraphysiological doses of glucocorticoids results in a marked decrease in testosterone without an increase of LH levels, suggestive of a central mechanism of induced HH. Diagnosis
The clinical presentation of HH depend on the time of onset as well as the severity of the defect. Diagnostic tests to measure GnRH levels are difficult. This is because GnRH is confined within hypophyseal portal system and has a short half-life of 2–4 minutes. GnRH levels are thus checked indirectly via LH and FSH levels which will be totally or partially absent in HH. Exogenous GnRH can be used as a diagnostic tool. If the patient has hypothalamic GnRH deficiency, LH and FSH will gradually appear in response to the exogenous GnRH but in pituitary cases of HH, a minimal response will be generated. Typically, CHH is diagnosed in adolescence due to a lack of pubertal development, but it can be possible to diagnose in male neonates. Clinical presentations of CHH involve an absence of puberty by 18 years of age, poorly developed secondary sexual characteristics, or infertility.In men with CHH, serum levels of inhibin B are typically very low as inhibin B is a marker of Sertoli cell number. For females, CHH is most commonly revealed by primary amenorrhea. Breast development is variable and pubic hair may or may not be present. CHH can be diagnosed in the male neonate with cryptorchidism (maldescended testes) and a micropenis as signs of GnRH deficiency. There are no clear signs of CHH in female neonates.