Ethinylestradiol/cyproterone acetate

Ethinylestradiol/cyproterone acetate (EE/CPA), also known as co-cyprindiol and sold under the brand names Diane and Diane-35 among others, is a combination of ethinylestradiol (EE), an estrogen, and cyproterone acetate (CPA), a progestin and antiandrogen, which is used as a birth control pill to prevent pregnancy in women. It is also used to treat androgen-dependent conditions in women such as acne, seborrhea, excessive facial/body hair growth, scalp hair loss, and high androgen levels associated with Polycystic ovary syndrome. The medication is taken by mouth once daily for 21 days, followed by a 7-day free interval.

Medical uses

EE/CPA is used as a combined birth control pill to prevent ovulation and pregnancy in women. It is also approved and used to treat androgen-dependent conditions in women such as acne, seborrhea, hirsutism, female pattern hair loss, and hyperandrogenism due to polycystic ovary syndrome.

Available forms

EE/CPA comes in the form of oral tablets and contains 35 or 50 μg EE and 2 mg CPA per tablet. It is taken once daily for 21 days, followed by a 7-day free interval.

Side effects

Side effects of EE/CPA include dysmenorrhea (10.2%), breast tension or tenderness (6.5%), headache (5.2%), nervousness (4.4%), chloasma (4.2%), depressed mood (3.4%), decreased libido (3.1%), varicosities (2.9%), nausea (1.9%), edema (1.7%), and dizziness (1.1%). The incidence of depression with EE/CPA is the same as that with other birth control pills.

Blood clots

The risk of venous thromboembolism with EE/CPA-containing birth control pills is similar to that with EE and gestodene-, desogestrel-, and drospirenone-containing birth control pills and about 50 to 80% higher than with EE and levonorgestrel-containing birth control pills.