As a general rule, all hormonal birth control medications are associated with side effects and health risks, and the oral contraceptive pills YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are no exception.
Blood clots can cause serious side effects; stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis.
A blood clot, or thrombosis, which begins in one part of the body can become an embolus, a blood clot that travels in the bloodstream. This embolus can migrate into any organ but usually migrates into the lungs, heart, or brain.
A deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a thrombosis which most commonly forms in the lower legs’ calf veins. A pulmonary embolism, or PE is a thrombosis which forms in or has moved into the lungs. Thrombosis which develops in the heart can break off and migrate to the brain leading to strokes.
Read new British Medical Journal article on Oral Contraceptives and Thromboembolism
The following mechanisms either singularly or in combination are thought to increase a woman’s risk for thrombosis and thromboembolism: estrogen / progestin combination; drospirenone’s link to hyperkalemia; and, drospirenone’s diuretic effect.
(1) New Estrogen and Progestin Combination
Estrogen is a female hormone which promotes the coagulation of blood. Estrogen combined with a progestin increases this effect. It this mechanism by which all hormonal contraceptives are linked with the increased risk for the formation of blood clots.
YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are currently the only oral contraceptive (OC) pills to contain drospirenone (DRSP). Drospirenone, which is a new progestin, isI classified as a “fourth generation”progestin.
(2) Drospirenone causes Hyperkalemia
Drospirenone differs from other synthetic progestins in that its pharmacological profile in preclinical studies shows it to be closer to the natural progesterone. As such it has anti-mineralocorticoid properties, which counteracts the estrogen-stimulated activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and is not androgenic.
The compound is part of newer oral contraceptive formulations:
* Yasmin contains 3 mg drospirenone and 30 mcg ethinylestradiol per tablet.
* Yasminelle contains 3 mg drospirenone and 20 mcg ethinylestradiol per tablet.
* Yaz contains 3 mg drospirenone and 20 mcg ethinylestradiol per tablet.
Drospirenone at 3mg, which can potentially cause hyperkalemia in high-risk patients, is comparable to a 25mg dose of spironolactone. Spironolactone (marketed under the trade names Aldactone, Novo-Spiroton, Aldactazide, Spiractin, Spirotone, Verospiron or Berlactone) is a diuretic and is used as an antiandrogen.
Because of the anti-mineralocorticoid effects, care needs to be taken when other drugs that may increase potassium levels are taken. Such medications include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-II receptor agonists, potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplementation, heparin, aldosterone antagonists, and NSAIDs.
Further, this type of activity can increase potassium to a dangerous level, putting a woman at risk for hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia is an elevated blood level of the electrolyte potassium. Extreme hyperkalemia is a medical emergency due to the risk of potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia).
Atrial fibrillation can develop in some patients, leading to thrombosis in the atria.
(3) Drospirenone’s Diuretic Effect
When the body becomes dehydrated, by Drospirenone’s diuretic effect, the blood thickens and the risk for thrombosis increases.
If you or a family member has been personally injured because of the fault of someone else: by the use of dangerous and defective drugs, bad products, or toxic injury etc then please contact the Fort Worth Texas Defective Drugs Product Liability Attorney Dr. Shezad Malik. For a no obligation, free case analysis, please call 817-255-4001 or Contact Me Online.
The Dr. Shezad Malik Law is currently evaluating and accepting Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella Side Effect cases.
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