Levonorgestrel as part of menopausal hormone therapy: effects and clinical possibilities

Abstract

Female hypogonadism, as a result of natural or induced shutdown of ovarian function, is a multifaceted problem. A variety of clinical manifestations motivates women to consult doctors of various specialties and solve health problems without focusing on the underlying cause. The financial and economic component of the problem due to a violation of the quality of life of women and a sharp decrease in their ability to work requires the inclusion of the most effective method of treatment. There are a number of MHT regimens and combinations that allow differentiated selection of the drug, taking into account the woman’s health status and her concomitant diseases. The range of biological effects and risks depends on the type and dose of the hormonal drug, duration of use, route of administration, and time of initiation of MHT. As a component of MHT, bioidentical estrogens and gestagens are used, different in their vector of influence, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profile. The article is devoted to cyclic biphasic MHT using a combination of 17β-estradiol (2 mg) and levonorgestrel (0.15 mg). The experience of using the drug will be presented in the form of a review and our own clinical cases from everyday medical practice.