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Trivora (Levonorgestrel / Ethinyl Estradiol / Levonorgestrel / Ethinyl Estradiol / Levonorgestrel / Ethinyl Estradiol) - Indications and Dosage

 
 



INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Oral contraceptives are indicated for the prevention of pregnancy in women who elect to use this product as a method of contraception.

Oral contraceptives are highly effective. Table II lists the typical accidental pregnancy rates for users of combination oral contraceptives and other methods of contraception. The efficacy of these contraceptive methods, except sterilization and the IUD, depends upon the reliability with which they are used. Correct and consistent use of methods can result in lower failure rates.

TABLE II: PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN EXPERIENCING AN UNINTENDED
PREGNANCY DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF USE OF A CONTRACEPTIVE METHOD
NA - not available
* Depending on method (calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation) Adapted from Hatcher RA et al, Contraceptive Technology: 17th Revised Edition. NY, NY: Ardent Media, Inc., 1998
ִ
Method Perfect Use Typical Use
Levonorgestrel implants0.050.05
Male sterilization0.10.15
Female sterilization0.50.5
Depo-Provera®
(injectable progestogen)0.30.3
Oral contraceptives5
Combined0.1NA
Progestin only0.5NA
IUD
Progesterone1.52.0
Copper T 380A0.60.8
Condom (male) without spermicide314
(Female) without spermicide521
Cervical cap
Nulliparous women920
Parous women2640
Vaginal sponge
Nulliparous women920
Parous women2040
Diaphragm with
spermicidal cream or jelly620
Spermicides alone
(foam, creams, jellies, and vaginal suppositories)626
Periodic abstinence (all methods)1-9*25
Withdrawal419
No contraception (planned pregnancy)8585

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

To achieve maximum contraceptive effectiveness, Trivora® Tablets (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets—triphasic regimen) must be taken exactly as directed and at intervals not exceeding 24 hours.

Trivora Tablets are a three-phase preparation plus 7 inert tablets. The dosage of Trivora Tablets is one tablet daily for 28 consecutive days per menstrual cycle in the following order: 6 blue tablets (phase 1), followed by 5 white tablets (phase 2), followed by 10 pink tablets (phase 3), plus 7 peach inert tablets, according to the prescribed schedule.

It is recommended that Trivora Tablets be taken at the same time each day, preferably after the evening meal or at bedtime. During the first cycle of medication, the patient should be instructed to take one Trivora Tablet daily in the order of 6 blue, 5 white, 10 pink tablets, and then 7 peach inert tablets for twenty-eight (28) consecutive days, beginning on day one (1) of her menstrual cycle. (The first day of menstruation is day one.) Withdrawal bleeding usually occurs within 3 days following the last pink tablet and may not have finished before the next pack is started. (If Trivora Tablets are first taken later than the first day of the first menstrual cycle of medication or postpartum, contraceptive reliance should not be placed on Trivora Tablets until after the first 7 consecutive days of administration and a nonhormonal back-up method of birth control should be used during those 7 days. The possibility of ovulation and conception prior to initiation of medication should be considered.)

When switching from another oral contraceptive, Trivora Tablets should be started on the first day of bleeding following the last active tablet taken of the previous oral contraceptive.

The patient may switch any day from a progestin-only pill and should begin Trivora the next day. If switching from an implant or injection, the patient should start Trivora on the day of implant removal or, if using an injection, the day the next injection would be due. In switching from a progestin-only pill, injection, or implant, the patient should be advised to use a non-hormonal back-up method of birth control for the first 7 days of tablet-taking.

The patient begins her next and all subsequent 28-day courses of Trivora Tablets on the same day of the week that she began her first course, following the same schedule. She begins taking her blue tablets on the next day after ingestion of the last peach tablet, regardless of whether or not a menstrual period has occurred or is still in progress. Any time a subsequent cycle of Trivora Tablets is started later than the next day, the patient should be protected by another means of contraception until she has taken a tablet daily for seven consecutive days.

If spotting or breakthrough bleeding occurs, the patient is instructed to continue on the same regimen. This type of bleeding is usually transient and without significance; however, if the bleeding is persistent or prolonged, the patient is advised to consult her physician. Although the occurrence of pregnancy is highly unlikely if Trivora Tablets are taken according to directions, if withdrawal bleeding does not occur, the possibility of pregnancy must be considered. If the patient has not adhered to the prescribed schedule (missed one or more tablets or started taking them on a day later than she should have), the probability of pregnancy should be considered at the time of the first missed period and appropriate diagnostic measures taken before the medication is resumed. If the patient has adhered to the prescribed regimen and misses two consecutive periods, pregnancy should be ruled out before continuing the contraceptive regimen.

The risk of pregnancy increases with each active (blue, white, or pink) tablet missed. For additional patient instructions regarding missed pills, see the “ WHAT TO DO IF YOU MISS PILLS ” section in the DETAILED PATIENT LABELING below. If breakthrough bleeding occurs following missed active tablets, it will usually be transient and of no consequence. If the patient misses one or more peach tablets, she is still protected against pregnancy provided she begins taking blue tablets again on the proper day.

Trivora may be initiated no earlier than day 28 postpartum in the non-lactating mother or after a second trimester abortion due to the increased risk for thromboembolism (see CONTRAINDICATIONS , WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS concerning thromboembolic disease). The patient should be advised to use a nonhormonal back-up method for the first 7 days of tablet-taking. However, if intercourse has already occurred, pregnancy should be excluded before the start of combined oral contraceptive use or the patient must wait for her first menstrual period. In the case of first-trimester abortion, if the patient starts Trivora immediately, additional contraceptive measures are not needed. It is to be noted that early resumption of ovulation may occur if Parlodel® (bromocriptine mesylate) has been used for the prevention of lactation.

HOW SUPPLIED

Trivora® Tablets (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets—triphasic regimen) are available in 28-tablet blister cards. Six blister cards are packaged in a carton. Each cycle contains 28 tablets as follows:

  • Six blue tablets containing 0.05 mg of levonorgestrel and 0.03 mg of ethinyl estradiol. The blue tablets are unscored, round in shape with “WATSON” debossed on one side and “50/30” on the other side.

  • Five white tablets containing 0.075 mg of levonorgestrel and 0.04 mg of ethinyl estradiol. The white tablets are unscored, round in shape with “WATSON” debossed on one side and “75/40” on the other side.

  • Ten pink tablets containing 0.125 mg of levonorgestrel and 0.03 mg of ethinyl estradiol. The pink tablets are unscored, round in shape with “WATSON” debossed on one side and “125/30” on the other side.

  • Seven peach inert tablets. The peach inert tablets are unscored, round in shape with “WATSON” debossed on one side and “P1” on the other side.

Store at 20° - 25°C (68 ° - 77°F). [See USP controlled room temperature.]

References available upon request.

BRIEF SUMMARY PATIENT PACKAGE INSERT

This product (like all oral contraceptives) is intended to prevent pregnancy. It does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Oral contraceptives, also known as “birth-control pills” or “the pill,” are taken to prevent pregnancy, and when taken correctly, have a failure rate of less than 1.0% per year when used without missing any pills. The average failure rate of large numbers of pill users is 5% per year when women who miss pills are included. For most women oral contraceptives are also free of serious or unpleasant side effects. However, forgetting to take pills considerably increases the chances of pregnancy.

For the majority of women, oral contraceptives can be taken safely. But there are some women who are at high risk of developing certain serious diseases that can be life-threatening or may cause temporary or permanent disability or death. The risks associated with taking oral contraceptives increase significantly if you:

  • smoke.

  • have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or a tendency to form blood clots, or are obese.

  • have or have had clotting disorders, heart attack, stroke, angina pectoris, cancer of the breast or sex organs, jaundice, or malignant or benign liver tumors.

You should not take the pill if you suspect you are pregnant or have unexplained vaginal bleeding.

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels from oral-contraceptive use. This risk increases with age and with the amount of smoking (15 or more cigarettes per day has been associated with a significantly increased risk) and is quite marked in women over 35 years of age. Women who use oral contraceptives should not smoke.

Most side effects of the pill are not serious. The most common such effects are nausea, vomiting, bleeding between menstrual periods, weight gain, breast tenderness, and difficulty wearing contact lenses. These side effects, especially nausea and vomiting, may subside within the first three months of use.

The serious side effects of the pill occur very infrequently, especially if you are in good health and do not smoke. However, you should know that the following medical conditions have been associated with or made worse by the pill:

  • Blood clots in the legs (thrombophlebitis), lungs (pulmonary embolism), stoppage or rupture of a blood vessel in the brain (stroke), blockage of blood vessels in the heart (heart attack and angina pectoris) or other organs of the body. As mentioned above, smoking increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes and subsequent serious medical consequences. Women with migraine also may be at increased risk of stroke.

  • Liver tumors, which may rupture and cause severe bleeding. A possible but not definite association has been found with the pill and liver cancer. However, liver cancers are extremely rare. The chance of developing liver cancer from using the pill is thus even rarer.

  • High blood pressure, although blood pressure usually returns to normal when the pill is stopped.

The symptoms associated with these serious side effects are discussed in the detailed leaflet given to you with your supply of pills. Notify your doctor or health-care provider if you notice any unusual physical disturbances while taking the pill. In addition, drugs such as rifampin, as well as some anticonvulsants and some antibiotics, and possibly St. John’s wort, may decrease oral-contraceptive effectiveness.

Breast cancer has been diagnosed slightly more often in women who use the pill than in women of the same age who do not use the pill. This very small increase in the number of breast cancer diagnoses gradually disappears during the 10 years after stopping use of the pill. It is not known whether the difference is caused by the pill. It may be that women taking the pill were examined more often, so that breast cancer was more likely to be detected.

Some studies have found an increase in the incidence of cancer or precancerous lesions of the cervix in women who use the pill. However, this finding may be related to factors other than the use of the pill.

Taking the pill provides some important noncontraceptive benefits. These include less painful menstruation, less menstrual blood loss and anemia, fewer pelvic infections, and fewer cancers of the ovary and the lining of the uterus.

Be sure to discuss any medical condition you may have with your health-care provider. Your health-care provider will take a medical and family history before prescribing oral contraceptives and will examine you. The physical examination may be delayed to another time if you request it and the health-care provider believes that it is appropriate to postpone it. You should be reexamined at least once a year while taking oral contraceptives. The detailed patient information leaflet gives you further information which you should read and discuss with your health-care provider.

This product (like all oral contraceptives) is intended to prevent pregnancy. It does not protect against transmission of HIV (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis.

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