Brevicon is a monophasic low dose birth control. It contains ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone devoted to preventing pregnancy.
Contents:
Indications for use
- Contraception;
- Treatment of severe acne form (acne vulgaris);
- Treatment of severe premenstrual syndrome.
Mechanism of action
Brevicon is a combined hormonal contraceptive. It has anti-aldosterone and anti-androgenic properties. The contraceptive effect of this birth control drug is manifested due to the combination of various factors. The first factor is the suppression of ovulation. The second is the changes in the viscosity of cervical secretion resulting in the difficulty of the spermatozoa to enter the uterine cavity.
Mode of application and dosage
Brevicon is applied during 28 days without breaks. Every pill containing the recommended dosage of the hormone is taken daily at the same time. The latest 7 pills will provoke the menstruation which will start the second – third day.
Contraindications
As any other combined oral contraceptive, Brevicon has a number of contraindications. They include the following medical conditions:
- hypersensitivity to any of the drug constituents;
- intolerance to lactose, its deficiency, glucose-galactose malabsorption;
- hypersensitivity to peanuts or soya;
- pregnancy or breastfeeding;
- any mention of the conditions former to thrombosis inclusively of transient ischemic attacks, angina pectoris;
- specified acquired or hereditary predisposition to venous or arterial thrombosis, inclusively of resistance to activated protein C or its deficiency, antithrombin III deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia, antibodies to phospholipids;
- currently or prior diagnosed venous and arterial thrombosis and thromboembolism, cerebrovascular disorders;
- high risk or predisposition to venous or arterial thrombosis;
- migraine accompanied by focal neurological symptoms;
- diabetes complicated with vascular dysfunctions;
- hepatic failure and severe hepatic dysfunction inclusively of benign or malignant tumors;
- severe kidney failure, acute kidney failure;
- adrenal crisis;
- diagnosed or suspected defined hormone-dependent malignant diseases;
- vaginal bleeding of unclear genesis.
Side effects
It is clinically proved Brevicon may cause the side effects specified in the table:
| Body System | Negative Reactions |
| Infectious and parasitic diseases | vaginitis/vulvovaginitis, vaginal candidiasis, urinary tract infections, cystitis, mastitis, cervicitis, fungal infections, candidiasis, herpetic oral cavity disease, influenza, bronchitis, sinusitis, upper respiratory infections, viral infection. |
| Hematopoietic system | anemia |
| Immune system | allergic reactions |
| Endocrine system | virilism |
| Metabolism and nutrition | increased appetite, anorexia |
| Mental disorders | a decrease in mood, depression, mental disorders, insomnia, sleep disorders, aggression, mood change, decreased libido, increased libido. |
| Nervous system | headache, dizziness, migraine; rarely – ischemic stroke, cerebrovascular disorders, dystonia. |
| Organ of vision | dryness of the mucous membrane of the eyes, irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyes, oscillopsia, visual impairment. |
| Organ of hearing and labyrinth disorders | sudden hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, hearing loss. |
| Cardiovascular system | increased blood pressure, decrease blood pressure, cardiovascular disorders, tachycardia, venous and arterial thromboembolic complications, thrombophlebitis, diastolic hypertension, orthostatic circulatory dystonia, “hot flashes”, varicose veins, venous pathology. |
| Respiratory system | bronchial asthma, hyperventilation |
| Gastrointestinal tract | abdominal pain, including pain in the upper and lower abdomen, discomfort / bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; rarely – gastritis, enteritis, dyspepsia. |
| Skin and subcutaneous tissues | acne, alopecia, rash (including macular rash), pruritus (including generalized pruritus); rarely, allergic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis/neurodermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, hyperhidrosis, chloasma, pigmentation disorder/hyperpigmentation, seborrhea, dandruff, hirsutism, skin pathology, skin reactions, orange peel, spider veins. |
| Musculoskeletal system | back pain, discomfort in the muscles and skeleton, myalgia, pain in the limbs. |
| Genital organs and the mammary gland | pain in the mammary gland, discomfort, tenderness in the mammary glands, an increased size of the mammary glands, swelling, acyclic bleeding/bleeding, breast cyst, fibrocystic mastopathy, dyspareunia, galactorrhea, menstrual disorders; frequency is unknown – discharge from the mammary glands. |
| General disorders and disorders at the injection site | fatigue, asthenia, chest pain, peripheral edema, flu-like symptoms, inflammation, fever, irritability. |
| Impact on the results of laboratory and instrumental studies | changes in body weight, increase in the concentration of triglycerides in the blood, hypercholesterolemia. |
Interactions
It is possible to combine with remedies that inhibit hepatic microsomal enzymes, as a result of which the clearance of sex hormones can increase, which, in turn, can result in breakthrough bleeding and/or to a reduction in the contraceptive effect.
Preparations that magnify the active substances’ clearance which weakens the effectiveness by the enzymes’ induction: phenytoin, barbiturates, bosentan, primidone, carbamazepine, rifampicin and HIV treatment agents and, possibly, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, griseofulvin, as well as remedies having St. John’s wort in composition.
When used in combination with many HIV protease or hepatitis C virus inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors can either increase or decrease the concentration of estrogen or progestin in the blood plasma. In some cases, this effect may be clinically significant.
What if I miss a dose?
If a woman misses the pills for less than 24 hours, there is no evidence for contraceptive protection. A missed pill should be taken in the shortest period of time.
If a woman misses the pills for more than 24 hours, the risk of the reduction in the contraceptive protection can be increased. If you miss the pill which is closer to the end of the cycle the greater the risk of becoming pregnant is.
Brevicon and pregnancy
Brevicon is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In the majority of cases, it may bring damage to the fetus and newborn child.