Enskyce Drug Information

Generic name: DESOGESTREL AND ETHINYL ESTRADIOL

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Uses of Enskyce

Combined 0.1

IUD Progesterone T 2.0 1.5 81 Copper T380A 0.8 0.6 78 LNg 20 0.1 0.1 81 Depo-Provera 0.3 0.3 70 Norplant ® and Norplant-2 ® 0.05 0.05 88 Female Sterilization 0.5 0.5 100 Male Sterilization 0.15 0.10 100 Enskyce has not been studied for and is not indicated for use in emergency contraception.

Dosage & Administration of Enskyce

To achieve maximum contraceptive effectiveness, Enskyce must be taken exactly as directed and at intervals not exceeding 24 hours. Enskyce is available in the blister which is preset for a Sunday Start. Day 1 Start is also provided.

Day 1 Start The dosage of Enskyce for the initial cycle of therapy is one light orange "active" tablet administered daily from the 1 st day through the 21 st day of the menstrual cycle, counting the first day of menstrual flow as "Day 1". Tablets are taken without interruption as follows: One light orange "active" tablet daily for 21 days, then one green "reminder" tablet daily for 7 days. After 28 tablets have been taken, a new course is started and a light orange "active" tablet is taken the next day. The use of Enskyce for contraception may be initiated 4 weeks postpartum in women who elect not to breastfeed.

When the tablets are administered during the postpartum period, the increased risk of thromboembolic disease associated with the postpartum period must be considered. (See CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS concerning thromboembolic disease. See also ( PRECAUTIONS, Nursing Mothers). If the patient starts on Enskyce postpartum, and has not yet had a period, she should be instructed to use another method of contraception until a light orange "active" tablet has been taken daily for 7 days. The possibility of ovulation and conception prior to initiation of medication should be considered.

If the patient misses one light orange "active" tablet in Weeks 1, 2, or 3, the light orange "active" tablet should be taken as soon as she remembers. If the patient misses two light orange "active" tablets in Week 1 or Week 2, the patient should take two light orange "active" tablets the day she remembers and two light orange "active" tablets the next day; and then continue taking one light orange "active" tablet a day until she finishes the pack. The patient should be instructed to use a back-up method of birth control such as a condom or spermicide if she has sex in the seven days after missing pills.

If the patient misses two light orange "active" tablets in the third week or misses three or more light orange "active" tablets in a row, the patient should throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack that same day. The patient should be instructed to use a back-up method of birth control if she has sex in the seven days after missing pills. Sunday Start When taking Enskyce, the first light orange "active" tablet should be taken on the first Sunday after menstruation begins.

If the period begins on Sunday, the first light orange "active" tablet is taken on that day. If switching directly from another oral contraceptive, the first light orange "active" tablet should be taken on the first Sunday after the last ACTIVE tablet of the previous product. Tablets are taken without interruption as follows: One light orange "active" tablet daily for 21 days, then one green "reminder" tablet daily for 7 days.

After 28 tablets have been taken, a new course is started and a light orange "active" tablet is taken the next day (Sunday). When initiating a Sunday start regimen, another method of contraception should be used until after the first 7 consecutive days of administration. The use of Enskyce for contraception may be initiated 4 weeks postpartum. When the tablets are administered during the postpartum period, the increased risk of thromboembolic disease associated with the postpartum period must be considered. (See CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS concerning thromboembolic disease.

See also ( PRECAUTIONS, Nursing Mothers). If the patient starts on Enskyce postpartum, and has not yet had a period, she should be instructed to use another method of contraception until a light orange "active" tablet has been taken daily for 7 days. The possibility of ovulation and conception prior to initiation of medication should be considered. If the patient misses one light orange active tablet in Weeks 1, 2, or 3, the light orange "active" tablet should be taken as soon as she remembers.

If the patient misses two light orange "active" tablets in Week 1 or Week 2, the patient should take two light orange "active" tablets the day she remembers and two light orange "active" tablets the next day; and then continue taking one light orange "active" tablet a day until she finishes the pack. The patient should be instructed to use a back-up method of birth control such as a condom or spermicide if she has sex in the seven days after missing pills. If the patient misses two light orange "active" tablets in the third week or misses three or more light orange "active" tablets in a row, the patient should continue taking one light orange "active" tablet every day until Sunday.

On Sunday the patient should throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack that same day. The patient should be instructed to use a back-up method of birth control if she has sex in the seven days after missing pills. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL DOSING REGIMENS Breakthrough bleeding, spotting, and amenorrhea are frequent reasons for patients discontinuing oral contraceptives.

In breakthrough bleeding, as in all cases of irregular bleeding from the vagina, nonfunctional causes should be borne in mind. In undiagnosed persistent or recurrent abnormal bleeding from the vagina, adequate diagnostic measures are indicated to rule out pregnancy or malignancy. If pathology has been excluded, time or a change to another formulation may solve the problem.

Changing to an oral contraceptive with a higher estrogen content, while potentially useful in minimizing menstrual irregularity, should be done only if necessary since this may increase the risk of thromboembolic disease. Use of oral contraceptives in the event of a missed menstrual period: If the patient has not adhered to the prescribed schedule, the possibility of pregnancy should be considered at the time of the first missed period and oral contraceptive use should be discontinued if pregnancy is confirmed. If the patient has adhered to the prescribed regimen and misses two consecutive periods, pregnancy should be ruled out.

Side Effects of Enskyce

Post Marketing Experience Five studies that compared breast cancer risk between ever-users (current or past use) of COCs and never-users of COCs reported no association between ever use of COCs and breast cancer risk, with effect estimates ranging from 0.90 - 1.12 (Figure 2). Three studies compared breast cancer risk between current or recent COC users (<6 months since last use) and never users of COCs (Figure 1). One of these studies reported no association between breast cancer risk and COC use. The other two studies found an increased relative risk of 1.19 - 1.33 with current or recent use. Both of these studies found an increased risk of breast cancer with current use of longer duration, with relative risks ranging from 1.03 with less than one year of COC use to approximately 1.4 with more than 8-10 years of COC use.

Figure 2: Risk of Breast Cancer with Combined Oral Contraceptive Use RR = relative risk; OR = odds ratio; HR = hazard ratio. "ever COC" are females with current or past COC use; "never COC use" are females that never used COCs. An increased risk of the following serious adverse reactions has been associated with the use of oral contraceptives (see WARNINGS ). Thrombophlebitis and venous thrombosis with or without embolism Arterial thromboembolism Pulmonary embolism Myocardial infarction Cerebral hemorrhage Cerebral thrombosis Hypertension Gallbladder disease Hepatic adenomas or benign liver tumors There is evidence of an association between the following conditions and the use of oral contraceptives Mesenteric thrombosis Retinal thrombosis The following adverse reactions have been reported in patients receiving oral contraceptives and are believed to be drug-related: Nausea Vomiting Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as abdominal cramps and bloating) Breakthrough bleeding Spotting Change in menstrual flow Amenorrhea Temporary infertility after discontinuation of treatment Edema Melasma which may persist Breast changes: tenderness, enlargement, secretion Change in weight (increase or decrease) Change in cervical erosion and secretion Diminution in lactation when given immediately postpartum Cholestatic jaundice Migraine Allergic reaction, including rash, urticaria, and angioedema Mental depression Reduced tolerance to carbohydrates Vaginal candidiasis Change in corneal curvature (steepening) Intolerance to contact lenses The following adverse reactions have been reported in users of oral contraceptives and a causal association has been neither confirmed nor refuted: Pre-menstrual syndrome Cataracts Changes in appetite Cystitis-like syndrome Headache Nervousness Dizziness Hirsutism Loss of scalp hair Erythema multiforme Erythema nodosum Hemorrhagic eruption Vaginitis Porphyria Impaired renal function Hemolytic uremic syndrome Acne Changes in libido Colitis Budd-Chiari Syndrome Figure 2: Risk of Breast Cancer with Combined Oral Contraceptive Use

Warnings & Cautions for Enskyce

Oral contraceptives non-smoker Deaths are method-related 0.3 0.5 0.9 1.9 13.8 31.6

Oral contraceptives smoker 2.2 3.4 6.6 13.5 51.1

IUD 0.8 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.4 1.4 Condom 1.1 1.6 0.7 0.2

0.3

Diaphragm/ spermicide 1.9 1.2 1.2 1.3 2.2 2.8 Periodic abstinence 2.5 1.6

1.6 1.7 2.9 3.6 3. Malignant Neoplasms Breast Cancer Enskyce Tablets is contraindicated in females who currently have or have had breast cancer because breast cancer may be hormonally sensitive . Epidemiology studies have not found a consistent association between use of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and breast cancer risk. Studies do not show an association between ever (current or past) use of COCs and risk of breast cancer. However, some studies report a small increase in the risk of breast cancer among current or recent users (<6 months since last use) and current users with longer duration of COC use.

Cervical Cancer Some studies suggest that oral contraceptive use has been associated with an increase in the risk of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia in some populations of women (45-48). However, there continues to be controversy about the extent to which such findings may be due to differences in sexual behavior and other factors. In spite of many studies of the relationship between oral contraceptive use and breast and cervical cancers, a cause-and-effect relationship has not been established. 4. Hepatic Neoplasia Benign hepatic adenomas are associated with oral contraceptive use, although the incidence of benign tumors is rare in the United States. Indirect calculations have estimated the attributable risk to be in the range of 3.3 cases/100,000 for users, a risk that increases after four or more years of use especially with oral contraceptives of higher dose. 49 Rupture of benign, hepatic adenomas may cause death through intra-abdominal hemorrhage. 50,51 Studies from Britain have shown an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in long-term (>8 years) oral contraceptive users.

However, these cancers are extremely rare in the U.S. and the attributable risk (the excess incidence) of liver cancers in oral contraceptive users approaches less than one per million users. 5. RISK OF LIVER ENZYME ELEVATIONS WITH CONCOMITANT HEPATITIS C TREATMENT During clinical trials with the Hepatitis C combination drug regimen that contains ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, ALT elevations greater than 5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), including some cases greater than 20 times the ULN, were significantly more frequent in women using ethinyl estradiol-containing medications such as COCs. Discontinue Enskyce prior to starting therapy with the combination drug regimen ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir (see CONTRAINDICATIONS ). Enskyce can be restarted approximately 2 weeks following completion of treatment with the combination drug regimen. 6. Ocular Lesions There have been clinical case reports of retinal thrombosis associated with the use of oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptives should be discontinued if there is unexplained partial or complete loss of vision; onset of proptosis or diplopia; papilledema; or retinal vascular lesions.

Appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic measures should be undertaken immediately. 7. Oral Contraceptive Use Before or During Early Pregnancy Extensive epidemiological studies have revealed no increased risk of birth defects in women who have used oral contraceptives prior to pregnancy. 56-57 The majority of recent studies also do not indicate a teratogenic effect, particularly in so far as cardiac anomalies and limb reduction defects are concerned, 55,56,58,59 when oral contraceptives are taken inadvertently during early pregnancy. The administration of oral contraceptives to induce withdrawal bleeding should not be used as a test for pregnancy. Oral contraceptives should not be used during pregnancy to treat threatened or habitual abortion.

It is recommended that for any patient who has missed two consecutive periods, pregnancy should be ruled out. If the patient has not adhered to the prescribed schedule, the possibility of pregnancy should be considered at the time of the first missed period. Oral contraceptive use should be discontinued if pregnancy is confirmed. 8. Gallbladder Disease Earlier studies have reported an increased lifetime relative risk of gallbladder surgery in users of oral contraceptives and estrogens. 60,61 More recent studies, however, have shown that the relative risk of developing gallbladder disease among oral contraceptive users may be minimal. 62-64 The recent findings of minimal risk may be related to the use of oral contraceptive formulations containing lower hormonal doses of estrogens and progestogens. 9. Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolic Effects Oral contraceptives have been shown to cause a decrease in glucose tolerance in a significant percentage of users. 17 This effect has been shown to be directly related to estrogen dose. 65 In general, progestogens increase insulin secretion and create insulin resistance, this effect varying with different progestational agents. 17,66 In the nondiabetic woman, oral contraceptives appear to have no effect on fasting blood glucose. 67 Because of these demonstrated effects, prediabetic and diabetic women should be carefully monitored while taking oral contraceptives.

A small proportion of women will have persistent hypertriglyceridemia while on the pill. As discussed earlier (see WARNINGS 1.a. and 1.d. ), changes in serum triglycerides and lipoprotein levels have been reported in oral contraceptive users. 10. Elevated Blood Pressure Women with significant hypertension should not be started on hormonal contraception. 98 An increase in blood pressure has been reported in women taking oral contraceptives 68 and this increase is more likely in older oral contraceptive users 69 and with extended duration of use. 61 Data from the Royal College of General Practitioners 12 and subsequent randomized trials have shown that the incidence of hypertension increases with increasing progestational activity and concentrations of progestogens. Women with a history of hypertension or hypertension-related diseases, or renal disease 70 should be encouraged to use another method of contraception.

If these women elect to use oral contraceptives, they should be monitored closely and if a clinically significant persistent elevation of blood pressure (BP) occurs (≥160 mm Hg systolic or ≥100 mm Hg diastolic) and cannot be adequately controlled, oral contraceptives should be discontinued. In general, women who develop hypertension during hormonal contraceptive therapy should be switched to a non-hormonal contraceptive. If other contraceptive methods are not suitable, hormonal contraceptive therapy may continue combined with antihypertensive therapy.

Regular monitoring of BP throughout hormonal contraceptive therapy is recommended 102. For most women, elevated blood pressure will return to normal after stopping oral contraceptives, 69 and there is no difference in the occurrence of hypertension among former and never users. 68,70,71 11. Headache The onset or exacerbation of migraine or development of headache with a new pattern which is recurrent, persistent or severe requires discontinuation of oral contraceptives and evaluation of the cause. 12. Bleeding Irregularities Breakthrough bleeding and spotting are sometimes encountered in patients on oral contraceptives, especially during the first three months of use. Nonhormonal causes should be considered and adequate diagnostic measures taken to rule out malignancy or pregnancy in the event of breakthrough bleeding, as in the case of any abnormal vaginal bleeding. If pathology has been excluded, time or a change to another formulation may solve the problem.

In the event of amenorrhea, pregnancy should be ruled out. Some women may encounter post-pill amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea, especially when such a condition was pre-existent. 13. Ectopic Pregnancy Ectopic as well as intrauterine pregnancy may occur in contraceptive failures. Table II

Contraindications for Enskyce

Enskyce is contraindicated in females who are known to have or develop the following conditions: Thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic disorders A past history of deep vein thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic disorders Known thrombophilic conditions Cerebral vascular or coronary artery disease (current or history) Valvular heart disease with complications Persistent blood pressure values of ≥160 mm Hg systolic or ≥100 mg Hg diastolic 102 Diabetes with vascular involvement Headaches with focal neurological symptoms Major surgery with prolonged immobilization Current diagnosis of, or history of, breast cancer, which may be hormonesensitive Carcinoma of the endometrium or other known or suspected estrogen-dependent neoplasia Undiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding Cholestatic jaundice of pregnancy or jaundice with prior pill use Acute or chronic hepatocellular disease with abnormal liver function Hepatic adenomas or carcinomas Known or suspected pregnancy Hypersensitivity to any component of this product Are receiving Hepatitis C drug combinations containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, due to the potential for ALT elevations (see section 5 in WARNINGS, RISK OF LIVER ENZYME ELEVATIONS WITH CONCOMITANT HEPATITIS C TREATMENT ).

Overdosage Information for Enskyce

Serious ill effects have not been reported following acute ingestion of large doses of oral contraceptives by young children. Overdosage may cause nausea, and withdrawal bleeding may occur in females. NON-CONTRACEPTIVE HEALTH BENEFITS The following non-contraceptive health benefits related to the use of oral contraceptives are supported by epidemiological studies which largely utilized oral contraceptive formulations containing estrogen doses exceeding 0.035 mg of ethinyl estradiol or 0.05 mg of mestranol. 73-78 Effects on menses: increased menstrual cycle regularity decreased blood loss and decreased incidence of iron deficiency anemia decreased incidence of dysmenorrhea Effects related to inhibition of ovulation: decreased incidence of functional ovarian cysts decreased incidence of ectopic pregnancies Effects from long-term use: decreased incidence of fibroadenomas and fibrocystic disease of the breast decreased incidence of acute pelvic inflammatory disease decreased incidence of endometrial cancer decreased incidence of ovarian cancer

Drug information sourced from the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before making any medication decisions.

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