Activella (Estradiol / Norethindrone)

Description

Activella (estradiol/norethindrone acetate) is a medication consisting of two hormones to treat moderate to severe symptoms of menopause and vulvar and vaginal atrophy as a caused by menpause in women who have a uterus. Postmenopausal women who have a uterus also take Activella to prevent osteoporosis.

Directions

Follow the instructions on the label of your prescription and read the information that comes with your prescription. 

Activella is available in 1 mg/0.5 mg and 0.5 mg/0.1 mg tablets.

• Activella 1 mg/0.5 mg or Activella 0.5 mg/0.1 mg tablets are prescribed to treat moderate to severe symptoms of menopause and to prevent osteoporosis in women who have a uterus.
• Activella 1 mg/0.5 mg is prescribed to treat moderate to severe symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy as a result of menopause in women who have a uterus.

Activella dosage:

Take one tablet by mouth one time a day.

Ingredients

Estradiol and norethindrone acetate are the active ingredients contained in each tablet of Activella. Lactose monohydrate, starch (corn), copovidone, talc, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, and triacetin are the inactive ingredients. The 0.5 mg/0.1 mg also contains hydroxypropylcellulose.

Contraindications

• Avoid taking Activella if you:
• have unusual vaginal bleeding without a cause.
• have, think you have, or have ever had breast cancer.
• have or suspect that you have estrogen-dependent neoplasia.
• have an active blood clot or have ever had a blood clot in your veins or lungs.
• have or have ever had a stroke or heart attack.
• are allergic to any of the ingredients contained in Activella.
• have liver conditions.
• have a blood condition such as protein C, protein S, or antithrombin deficiency.
• are pregnant or suspect that you are pregnant.

Cautions

• Before you start taking Activella, inform your doctor of: 
• Any medications you take
• Your allergies
• Your medical problems and medical history
• Your pregnancy or breastfeeding status and/or plans
• Activella can increase your risk for gallbladder disease.
• If you lose your vision or experience other vision problems while taking Activella, seek medical attention right away.

• If you experience yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes while taking Activella, seek medical medical attention right away. 

• High calcium levels in the blood can occur in women who take Activella and have breast cancer or bone cancer. 

• High blood triglyceride levels that can cause pancreatitis can occur during treatment with Activella.

• High blood pressure can occur during treatment with Activella.

• Your thyroid function should be checked during treatment with Activella if you are taking thyroid replacement.

• Low blood calcium levels can occur in women who have hypoparathyroidism and take Activella. 
• Fluid retention can occur during treatment with Activella.
• The symptoms of certain conditions, including hereditary angioedema, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, migraine, porphyria, systemic lupus erythematosus, and hepatic hemangiomas can occur during treatment with Activella. Women who have these conditions are recommended to use caution.

Side Effects

Call your doctor if you experience side effects that worry you or persist. Activella's side effects include back pain, headache, pain in the extremity, nausea, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, sleep problems, mood changes, upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis, weight gain, pain in the breast, post-menopausal bleeding, excessive uterine fibroid vaginal bleeding, ovarian cyst, thickening of the endometrium, viral infection, moniliasis genital, and accidental injury.

Reference:

Activella (estradiol/norethindrone acetate) tablets, for oral use. Plainsboro, NJ: Novo Nordisk Inc.; 2013.

About Dr. Savannah Muncy (Page Author)

Dr. Muncy (PharmD) studied science and education as an undergraduate before attending the Appalachian College of Pharmacy where she completed her PharmD in three years. She is currently using her pharmacy and healthcare expertise to write medical content for clients all around the world. She is focused on delivering the most current, accurate, and engaging information to healthcare professionals and patients. Read More....