Contraceptive Patch Label Updated to Address Blood Clot Risks
Posted by Rachel on January 19, 2008
The label for the contraceptive patch Ortho Evra was updated yesterday as a result of a study that suggested that women using the patch were at higher risk of serious blood clots than women using birth control pills.
In 2005, the label was updated to note that women using the patch seem to be receiving higher levels of estrogen than those using the pill, and so may have increased risks.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has a good overview of deep vein thrombosis (a kind of blood clot mentioned in the updated label), including causes, risk factors, symptoms to watch out for, prevention, and other topics, as well as on pulmonary embolism, when the clot travels to the lungs.
