Ortho Evra

Generic name: Ethinyl Estradiol And Norelgestromin (transdermal)
Drug class: Contraceptives

Usage of Ortho Evra

Ortho Evra is a contraceptive skin patch containing a combination of female hormones (ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin) that prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). This medicine also causes changes in your cervical mucus and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.

Ortho Evra skin patches are used as contraception to prevent pregnancy.

Ortho Evra may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Ortho Evra side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction to Ortho Evra skin patches: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using Ortho Evra and call your doctor at once if you have:

signs of a stroke - sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, problems with balance, sudden vision loss;

signs of a blood clot in the lung - chest pain, sudden cough, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing up blood;

signs of a blood clot in your leg - pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs;

heart attack symptoms - chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;

liver problems - nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

a change in the pattern or severity of migraine headaches;

swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

a breast lump; or

symptoms of depression - sleep problems, weakness, tired feeling, mood changes.

Common Ortho Evra side effects may include:

nausea, stomach pain;

breast tenderness or swelling;

headache, anxiety, mood changes;

skin irritation, redness, itching, or swelling where the patch was worn;

menstrual cramps; or

irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Ortho Evra

Using Ortho Evra can increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack. You are even more at risk if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or if you are overweight. Your risk of stroke or blood clot is highest during your first year of using birth control. Your risk is also high when you restart this medicine after not using for 4 weeks or longer.

Smoking can greatly increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack. Your risk increases the older you are and the more you smoke. You should not use Ortho Evra if you smoke and are over 35 years old.

Do not use Ortho Evra if you are pregnant. Stop using the medicine and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant, or if you miss two menstrual periods in a row. If you have recently had a baby, wait at least 4 weeks before using Ortho Evra.

You should not use Ortho Evra if you have:

abnormal vaginal bleeding that has not been checked by a doctor;

history of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot;

heart problems such as uncontrolled valve disorder, or a rhythm disorder that causes blood clots in the heart;

an inherited blood-clotting disorder that causes your blood to clot more than normal;

untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure;

problems with your eyes, kidneys or circulation caused by diabetes;

a history of hormone-related cancer such as breast or uterine cancer;

liver disease or cancer; or

severe migraine headaches (with aura, numbness, weakness, or vision changes), especially if you are older than 35.

Your risk of serious blood clot may be higher with the use of Ortho Evra skin patches than with the use of birth control pills.

To make sure Ortho Evra is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

heart disease, high blood pressure;

a history of depression;

gallbladder disease;

diabetes; or

a history of jaundice caused by pregnancy or birth control pills.

The hormones in Ortho Evra skin patches can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. This medicine may also slow breast milk production. Do not use if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Relate drugs

How to use Ortho Evra

Usual Adult Dose for Contraception:

The initial dosage of Ortho Evra patches for contraception is the placement of one patch on the skin of the upper outer arm, or abdomen, or buttocks, weekly for 3 weeks (21 total days), which is to remain in place for 7 days, the fourth week is drug free. A new Ortho Evra patch is placed on the skin one-week after the last patch was removed. Regardless of withdrawal bleed presence, the new transdermal patch is placed on the skin the same day (at any time) as it was done in the previous cycle. If an Ortho Evra patch is partially or completed detached for less than 1 day (up to 24 hours), reapply it to the same place or replace it with a new patch immediately. No backup contraception is needed. If this event occurs for more than 1 day (24 hours or more), or if the woman is not sure how long the patch has been detached, she should stop the current contraceptive cycle and start a new cycle immediately by applying a new patch. Backup contraception, such as condoms, spermicide, or diaphragm, must be used for the first week of the new cycle. In women switching from a combination oral contraceptive, begin use of the patch on the first day of withdrawal bleeding. If there is no withdrawal bleeding within 5 days of the last active (hormone-containing) tablet, pregnancy must be ruled out. If the patch is placed later than the first day of withdrawal bleeding, but within the 7 days from the last oral active tablet, a second method of contraception (non-hormonal) should be added for the first 7 days. In women with a miscarriage or a complete first trimester abortion, begin use of the patch immediately. An additional method of contraception would not be needed if therapy is started immediately. In women who choose not to breast-feed after childbirth, begin use of the Ortho Evra patch no sooner than 4 weeks after childbirth. Postpartum women who have not had a period should add a second method of contraception (non-hormonal) for the first 7 days of patch use.

Warnings

Your risk of serious blood clot may be higher with the use of Ortho Evra skin patches than with the use of birth control pills.

Using hormonal birth control can increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack, especially if you have certain other conditions, or if you are overweight.

Smoking can greatly increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack while using Ortho Evra. You should not use Ortho Evra if you smoke and are older than 35 years of age.

You should not use Ortho Evra if you have any of the following conditions: uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, a blood-clotting disorder, diabetic problems with your eyes or kidneys, unusual vaginal bleeding, liver disease or liver cancer, severe migraine headaches, or if you have ever had breast or uterine cancer, a heart attack, a stroke, or a blood clot.

Do not use Ortho Evra if you are pregnant or if you have recently had a baby.

What other drugs will affect Ortho Evra

Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with Ortho Evra, especially:

acetaminophen, ascorbic acid (vitamin C);

antifungal medicine - fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole;

cholesterol-lowering medicines - atorvastatin, rosuvastatin; or

HIV or AIDS medicines - atazanavir, etravirine, indinavir.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with Ortho Evra, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Some drugs can make Ortho Evra less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.