Estrogen drug products are indicated in the:

1. Treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with the menopause. There is no adequate evidence that estrogens are effective for nervous symptoms or depression which might occur during menopause and they should not be used to treat these conditions.

2. Treatment of vulval and vaginal atrophy.

3. Treatment of hypoestrogenism due to hypogonadism, castration or primary ovarian failure.

4. Prevention of osteoporosis. Since estrogen administration is associated with risk, selection of patients should ideally be based on prospective identification of risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Unfortunately, there is no certain way to identify those women who will develop osteoporotic fractures. Most prospective studies of efficacy for this indication have been carried out in white menopausal women, without stratification by other risk factors, and tend to show a universally salutary effect on bone. Thus, patient selection must be individualized based on the balance of risks and benefits. A more favorable risk/benefit ratio exists in a hysterectomized woman because she has no risk of endometrial cancer (see DESCRIPTION: BOXED WARNINGS).

Estrogen replacement therapy reduces bone resorption and retards or halts postmenopausal bone loss. Case-control studies have shown an approximately 60 percent reduction in hip and wrist fractures in women whose estrogen replacement was begun within a few years of menopause. Studies also suggest that estrogen reduces the rate of vertebral fractures. Even when started as late as 6 years after menopause, estrogen prevents further loss of bone mass for as long as the treatment is continued. The results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled two-year study have shown that treatment with one tablet of OGEN .625 daily for 25 days (of a 31-day cycle per month) prevents vertebral bone mass loss in postmenopausal women. When estrogen therapy is discontinued, bone mass declines at a rate comparable to the immediate postmenopausal period. There is no evidence that estrogen replacement therapy restores bone mass to premenopausal levels.

At skeletal maturity there are sex and race differences in both the total amount of bone present and its density, in favor of men and blacks. Thus, women are at higher risk than men because they start with less bone mass and, for several years following natural or induced menopause, the rate of bone mass decline is accelerated. White and Asian women are at higher risk than black women.

Early menopause is one of the strongest predictors for the development of osteoporosis. In addition. other factors affecting the skeleton which are associated with osteoporosis include genetic factors (small build, family history), endocrine factors (nulliparity, thyrotoxicosis, hyperparathyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, hyperprolactinemia. Type I diabetes), lifestyle (cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, sedentary exercise habits) and nutrition (below average body weight, dietary calcium intake).

The mainstays of prevention and management of osteoporosis are estrogen, an adequate lifetime calcium intake, and exercise. Postmenopausal women absorb dietary calcium less efficiently than premenopausal women and require an average of 1500 mg/day of elemental calcium to remain in neutral calcium balance. By comparison, premenopausal women require about 1000 mg/day and the average calcium intake in the USA is 400-600 mg/day. Therefore, when not contraindicated, calcium supplementation may be helpful.

Weight-bearing exercise and nutrition may be important adjuncts to the prevention and management of osteoporosis. Immobilization and prolonged bed rest produce rapid bone loss, while weight-bearing exercise has been shown both to reduce bone loss and to increase bone mass. The optimal type and amount of physical activity that would prevent osteoporosis have not been established, however, in two studies, an hour of walking and running exercises twice or three times weekly significantly increased lumbar spine bone mass.

1. For treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, vulval and vaginal atrophy associated with the menopause, the lowest dose and regimen that will control symptoms should be chosen and medication should be discontinued as promptly as possible. Attempts to discontinue or taper medication should be made at 3- month to 6- month intervals.Usual dosage ranges:

Vasomotor symptoms — One OGEN .625 (0.75 mg estropipate) tablet to two OGEN 2.5 (3 mg estropipate) tablets per day. The lowest dose that will control symptoms should be chosen. If the patient has not menstruated within the last two months or more, cyclic administration is started arbitrarily. If the patient is menstruating, cyclic administration is started on day 5 of bleeding.

Vulval and vaginal atrophy — One OGEN .625 (0.75 mg estropipate) tablet to two OGEN 2.5 (3 mg estropipate) tablets daily, depending upon the tissue response of the individual patient. The lowest dose that will control symptoms should be chosen. Administer cyclically.

2. For treatment of female hypoestrogenism due to hypogonadism, castration, or primary ovarian failure. Usual dosage ranges:

Female hypogonadism — A daily dose of one OGEN 1.25 (1.5 mg estropipate) tablet to three OGEN 2.5 (3 mg estropipate) tablets may be given for the first three weeks of a theoretical cycle, followed by a rest period of eight to ten days. The lowest dose that will control symptoms should be chosen. If bleeding does not occur by the end of this period, the same dosage schedule is repeated. The number of courses of estrogen therapy necessary to produce bleeding may vary depending on the responsiveness of the endometrium. If satisfactory withdrawal bleeding does not occur, an oral progestogen may be given in addition to estrogen during the third week of the cycle.

Female castration or primary ovarian failure — A daily dose of one OGEN 1.25 (1.5 mg estropipate) tablet to three OGEN 2.5 (3 mg estropipate) tablets may be given for the first three weeks of a theoretical cycle, followed by a rest period of eight to ten days. Adjust dosage upward or downward according to severity of symptoms and response of the patient. For maintenance, adjust dosage to lowest level that will provide effective control.

Treated patients with an intact uterus should be monitored closely for signs of endometrial cancer and appropriate diagnostic measures should be taken to rule out malignancy in the event of persistent or recurring abnormal vaginal bleeding.

3. For prevention of osteoporosis. A daily dose of one OGEN .625 (0.75 mg estropipate) tablet for 25 days of a 31-day cycle per month.

OGEN (estropipate tablets, USP) is supplied as:

OGEN .625 (0.75 mg estropipate; calculated as sodium estrone sulfate 0.625 mg), yellow, scored tablets, imprinted U 3772. NDC 0009-3772-01;

OGEN 1.25 (1.5 mg estropipate; calculated as sodium estrone sulfate 1.25 mg), peach-colored, scored tablets, imprinted U 3773, NDC 0009-3773-01;

OGEN 2.5 (3 mg estropipate; calculated as sodium estrone sulfate 2.5 mg), blue, scored tablets, imprinted U 3774, NDC 0009-3774-01.

Tablets of all three dosage levels are standardized to provide uniform estrone activity and are scored to provide dosage flexibility. All tablet sizes of OGEN are available in bottles of 100.

Recommended storage: Store below 77° F (25° C).

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