Get your patient on Progesterone - Progesterone capsule (Progesterone)

Progesterone capsules should be given as a single daily dose at bedtime, 200 mg orally for 12 days sequentially per 28-day cycle, to a postmenopausal woman with a uterus who is receiving daily conjugated estrogens tablets.

Progesterone capsules may be given as a single daily dose of 400 mg at bedtime for 10 days.

Some women may experience difficulty swallowing progesterone capsules. For these women, progesterone capsules should be taken with a glass of water while in the standing position.

In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the effects of progesterone capsules on secondary amenorrhea was studied in 49 estrogen-primed postmenopausal women. Table 8 lists adverse reactions greater than or equal to 5 percent of women who received progesterone capsules or placebo.

In a multicenter, parallel-group, open label postmarketing dosing study consisting of three consecutive 28-day treatment cycles, 220 premenopausal women with secondary amenorrhea were randomized to receive daily conjugated estrogens therapy (0.625 mg conjugated estrogens) and progesterone capsules, 300 mg per day (n=113) or progesterone capsules, 400 mg per/day (n=107) for 10 days of each treatment cycle. Overall, the most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse reactions, reported in greater than or equal to 5 percent of subjects, were nausea, fatigue, vaginal mycosis, nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, dizziness, breast tenderness, abdominal distension, acne, dysmenorrhea, mood swing, and urinary tract infection.

The following additional adverse reactions have been reported with progesterone capsules. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate the frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

Genitourinary System: endometrial carcinoma, hypospadia, intra-uterine death, menorrhagia, menstrual disorder, metrorrhagia, ovarian cyst, spontaneous abortion.

Cardiovascular: circulatory collapse, congenital heart disease (including ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus), hypertension, hypotension, tachycardia.

Gastrointestinal: acute pancreatitis, cholestasis, cholestatic hepatitis, dysphagia, hepatic failure, hepatic necrosis, hepatitis, increased liver function tests (including alanine aminotransferase increased, aspartate aminotransferase increased, gamma-glutamyl transferase increased), jaundice, swollen tongue.

Skin: alopecia, pruritus, urticaria.

Eyes: blurred vision, diplopia, visual disturbance.

Central Nervous System: aggression, convulsion, depersonalization, depressed consciousness, disorientation, dysarthria, loss of consciousness, paresthesia, sedation, stupor, syncope (with and without hypotension), transient ischemic attack, suicidal ideation.

During initial therapy, a few women have experienced a constellation of many or all of the following symptoms: extreme dizziness and/or drowsiness, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty walking, loss of consciousness, vertigo, confusion, disorientation, feeling drunk, and shortness of breath.

Miscellaneous: abnormal gait, anaphylactic reaction, arthralgia, blood glucose increased, choking, cleft lip, cleft palate, difficulty walking, dyspnea, face edema, feeling abnormal, feeling drunk, hypersensitivity, asthma, muscle cramp, throat tightness, tinnitus, vertigo, weight decreased, weight increased.

In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 358 postmenopausal women, each with an intact uterus, received treatment for up to 36 months. The treatment groups were: Progesterone capsules at the dose of 200 mg per day for 12 days per 28-day cycle in combination with conjugated estrogens 0.625 mg per day (n=120); conjugated estrogens 0.625 mg per day only (n=119); or placebo (n=119). The subjects in all three treatment groups were primarily Caucasian women (87 percent or more of each group). The results for the incidence of endometrial hyperplasia in women receiving up to 3 years of treatment are shown in Table 3 . A comparison of the progesterone capsules plus conjugated estrogens treatment group to the conjugated estrogens only group showed a significantly lower rate of hyperplasia (6 percent combination product versus 64 percent estrogen alone) in the progesterone capsules plus conjugated estrogens treatment group throughout 36 months of treatment.

^a Most advanced result to least advanced result:Adenocarcinoma > atypical hyperplasia > complex hyperplasia > simple hyperplasia

The times to diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia over 36 months of treatment are shown in Figure 1 . This figure illustrates graphically that the proportion of patients with hyperplasia was significantly greater for the conjugated estrogens group (64 percent) compared to the conjugated estrogens plus progesterone capsules group (6 percent).

Figure 1. Time to Hyperplasia in Women Receiving up to 36 Months of Treatment

The discontinuation rates due to hyperplasia over the 36 months of treatment are as shown in Table 4 . For any degree of hyperplasia, the discontinuation rate for patients who received conjugated estrogens plus progesterone capsules was similar to that of the placebo only group, while the discontinuation rate for patients who received conjugated estrogens alone was significantly higher. Women who permanently discontinued treatment due to hyperplasia were similar in demographics to the overall study population.

In a single-center, randomized, double-blind clinical study that included premenopausal women with secondary amenorrhea for at least 90 days, administration of 10 days of progesterone capsules therapy resulted in 80 percent of women experiencing withdrawal bleeding within 7 days of the last dose of progesterone capsules, 300 mg per day (n=20), compared to 10 percent of women experiencing withdrawal bleeding in the placebo group (n=21).

In a multicenter, parallel-group, open label, postmarketing dosing study that included premenopausal women with secondary amenorrhea for at least 90 days, administration of 10 days of progesterone capsules during two 28-day treatment cycles, 300 mg per day (n=107) or 400 mg per day (n=99), resulted in 73.8 percent and 76.8 percent of women, respectively, experiencing withdrawal bleeding.

The rate of secretory transformation was evaluated in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical study in estrogen-primed postmenopausal women. Progesterone capsules administered orally for 10 days at 400 mg per day (n=22) induced complete secretory changes in the endometrium in 45 percent of women compared to 0 percent in the placebo group (n=23).

A second multicenter, parallel-group, open label postmarketing dosing study in premenopausal women with secondary amenorrhea for at least 90 days also evaluated the rate of secretory transformation. All subjects received daily oral conjugated estrogens over 3 consecutive 28-day treatment cycles and progesterone capsules, 300 mg per day (n=107) or 400 mg per day (n=99) for 10 days of each treatment cycle. The rate of complete secretory transformation was 21.5 percent and 28.3 percent, respectively.

The WHI estrogen plus progestin trial enrolled predominantly healthy postmenopausal women to assess the risks and benefits of daily oral CE (0.625 mg) in combination with MPA (2.5 mg) compared to placebo in the prevention of certain chronic diseases. The primary endpoint was the incidence of CHD (defined as nonfatal MI, silent MI and CHD death), with invasive breast cancer as the primary adverse outcome. A "global index" included the earliest occurrence of CHD, invasive breast cancer, stroke, PE, endometrial cancer colorectal cancer, hip fracture, or death due to other causes. This trial did not evaluate the effects of CE plus MPA on menopausal symptoms.

The WHI estrogen plus progestin trial was stopped early. After an average follow-up of 5.6 years of treatment, the increased risk of invasive breast cancer crossed the predefined stopping threshold. The global index was supportive of a finding of overall harm. The absolute excess risk of events included in the global index was 19 per 10,000 women-years. Results of the trial, which enrolled 16,608 women (average 63 years of age, range 50 to 79; 83.9% White, 6.8% Black, 5.4% Hispanic, 3.9% Other) are presented in Table 5 . These results reflect centrally adjudicated data after an average follow-up of 5.6 years.

TABLE 5. Relative and Absolute Risk Seen in the WHI Estrogen Plus Progestin Trial at an Average of 5.6 Years ^a,b

^a Adapted from numerous WHI publications. WHI publications can be viewed at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi.

^b Results are based on centrally adjudicated data.

^c Nominal confidence intervals unadjusted for multiple looks and multiple comparisons.

^d Not included in Global Index.

^e Includes metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer with the exception of in situ breast cancer.

^f All deaths, except from breast or colorectal cancer, definite or probable CHD, PE or cerebrovascular disease.

^g A subset of the events was combined in a "global index" defined as the earliest occurrence of CHD events, invasive breast cancer, stroke, pulmonary embolism, endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer, hip fracture, or death due to other causes.

Timing of the initiation of estrogen plus progestin therapy relative to the start of menopause may affect the overall risk benefit profile. The results of the WHI estrogen plus progestin trial in women 50 to 59 years of age (N=2,837 for CE/MPA; N=2,683 for placebo) are shown in Table 6 .

Table 6. Relative Risk and Risk Difference Observed Among Women 50-59 Years of Age in the WHI Estrogen Plus Progestin Trial at an Average of 5.6 ^a,b

^a Adapted from 2013 WHI trial (CE/MPA n=2,837; placebo=2,683). WHI publications can be viewed at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi.

^b Results are based on centrally adjudicated data.

^c In the WHI studies, hazard ratios were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models comparing treatment to placebo; however, they are described here as relative risks. Nominal confidence intervals unadjusted for multiple looks and multiple comparisons.

^d Not included in “global index.”

^e Includes metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer with the exception of in situ cancer.

^f All deaths, except from breast or colorectal cancer, definite or probable CHD, PE or cerebrovascular disease.

^g A subset of the events was combined in a “global index,” defined as the earliest occurrence of CHD events, invasive breast cancer, stroke, PE, colorectal cancer, hip fracture, or death due to other causes.

The estrogen plus progestin Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS), an ancillary study of WHI, enrolled 4,532 predominantly healthy postmenopausal women 65 years of age and older (47 percent were 65 to 69 years of age; 35 percent were 70 to 74 years of age; and 18 percent were 75 years of age and older) to evaluate the effects of daily CE (0.625 mg) plus MPA (2.5 mg) on the incidence of probable dementia (primary outcome) compared to placebo.

After an average follow-up of 4 years, the relative risk of probable dementia for CE plus MPA versus placebo was 2.05 (95 percent CI, 1.21 – 3.48). The absolute risk of probable dementia for CE plus MPA versus placebo was 45 versus 22 per 10,000 women-years. Probable dementia as defined in this study included Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD) and mixed type (having features of both AD and VaD). The most common classification of probable dementia in the treatment group and the placebo group was AD. Since the ancillary study was conducted in women 65 to 79 years of age, it is unknown whether these findings apply to younger postmenopausal women. (See PRECAUTIONS , Geriatric Use .)

Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [See USP Controlled Room Temperature].

Protect from excessive moisture.

Dispense in tight, light-resistant container as defined in USP.

Keep out of reach of children.