The medical preparation Clomiphene Citrate is widely used in the field of reproductive medicine for the treatment of infertility in women. Contains anti-estrogenic components. The main areas of action of clomiphene citrate are the hypothalamus and the ovaries.
Description and effects on the body
The drug affects the body by stimulating the secretory activity of gonadotropins. It causes an increase in the activity of the sex glands and promotes the production of hormones in the pituitary gland. Clomiphene also affects other bodily functions:
- Stimulates milk flow.
- Optimizes the egg maturation process.
- It causes the formation of the corpus luteum in the ovaries.
All of these processes contribute to the maturation of the egg, ready for the conception process. As a result of using the drug, the ovulation process is stabilized. If the body contains a small amount of endogenous estrogens, the drug increases their number, bringing the total number to the norm necessary for effective fertilization. When estrogen levels rise, clomiphene citrate has a blocking effect, preventing its circulation. This property of the drug helps to improve the dynamics of gonadotropins. Important in the use of the drug is the fact that it does not have an androgenic or gestagenic effect.
Demand
Due to its pharmacological action, clomiphene citrate is recommended as an effective ovulation stimulant. The drug is relevant not only for those who are faced with a diagnosis of infertility, but also for abnormal uterine bleeding, impaired ovarian function, absence of the menstrual cycle and other pathological diseases that cause ovarian dysfunction. and other causes of hormonal imbalance.
Clomiphene citrate is often prescribed as a diagnostic tool to determine the dysfunction of the pituitary gland, which affects the stimulation and dynamics of the glands of the genital organs (gonadotropic function of the pituitary gland).
Combination with other drugs
Clomiphene citrate can be used with other drugs that affect the amount of gonadotropic hormones in the body. Thus, it is possible to ensure the most effective distribution of the drug throughout the body. The drug is gradually excreted from a woman’s body, but the period, which in medicine is commonly called the half-life, is about 5 days! At this time, the drug shows its maximum effect. The use of clomiphene citrate in combination with other drugs is recommended for the diagnosis of neoplasms of the mammary glands and for the early detection of cancer.
Indications for use
Clomiphene citrate can be used regardless of dietary intake. The first course of treatment involves a dose of 50 mg / day (1 tablet). The beginning of reception should coincide with the 5th day of the menstrual cycle. The first course of treatment lasts for five days, after which the use of the drug is discontinued. On the 11th day of the cycle (less often on the 15th), ovulation should occur. If this does not happen, doctors recommend a second treatment. The dose is doubled (100 mg per day) and the patient takes the drug for 6 days. If ovulation has not occurred, it is necessary to take a three-month break, and then proceed to the third course. In 85% of cases, these methods achieve the desired result; otherwise, the doctor, based on the test results, draws conclusions about the effectiveness of the drug and suggests new methods of treatment.
There is another treatment option that is available when breast cancer is diagnosed. Women faced with disseminated cancer, which characterizes the spread of affected cells to other organs and tissues, are prescribed annual treatment, which consists of taking clomiphene citrate for 12 months. The dosage is 200 mg/day (4 tablets of 50 mg). At this stage, it is necessary to monitor the functioning of the ovaries and regularly undergo examinations by the attending physician. In case of failure of the work of the ovaries, the course is interrupted, and after the resumption of operation, the treatment is continued.
Clomiphene citrate therapy is also relevant for male diseases. The stronger sex is prescribed treatment with a dose of 50-100 mg / day (depending on weight and age). The course of treatment is accompanied by strict control of the qualitative composition of sperm and the results of the necessary studies. The drug is used for six weeks.