Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Term Paper

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Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics: Oral Contraceptives

Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are one of the most commonly-prescribed medications for women. In the United States, approximately 25% of women age 15-44 use some form of hormonal contraceptives (Cooper, 2017). But just like the decision to use birth control itself is highly individualized, pharmacodynamic factors such as age and health status can impact the patient’s response to birth control pills and patients must be carefully monitored throughout the duration of their lives to ensure that their form of birth control suits their lifestyle needs and the changes in their bodies over time. As noted by Cooper (2017): three types of oral contraceptive pills currently exist, that of combined estrogen-progesterone pills, progesterone only pills and the continuous or extended use pill. The most commonly-prescribed pill is that of the combined estrogen-progesterone combination.

The actual pharmacokinetics of birth control pills is achieved through the regulation of estrogen and progesterone. Progesterone prevents ovulation by providing negative feedback to prevent “the pulse frequency of gonadotropin releasing hormone.  This, in turn, will decrease the secretion of follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH) and decreases the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH)” (Cooper, 2017, par.2). Progesterone also makes cervical mucous “unfriendly” to sperm implantation (Cooper, 2017, par.2).

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But while the basic mechanism of birth control pills may be fairly consistent, not all women react the same to taking contraceptives. Also, different health complaints can influence the degree to which oral contraceptives are appropriate for use in pregnancy.

Oral contraceptives have many advantages for women. Unlike a diaphragm, they do not require adherence to a specific method of insertion to prevent pregnancy (and diaphragms must remain inserted six hours after intercourse to remain effective). They also do not have the physical awkwardness some women experience with IUD insertion. Hypertension can contraindicate women from using any type of oral contraceptive and in the case of my patient, a combination of hypertension, diabetes, and smoking, had led to a reliance upon barrier methods of birth control in the form of condoms. Smokers like the patient over the age of 35 are also contraindicated from using oral contraceptives, due to evidence-based research indicating that they are at high risk for significant cardiovascular events and deep vein thrombosis (Cooper, 2017). Other contraindications include heart disease, migraines, or a history of breast cancer (Cooper, 2017).

After initiating a monogamous relationship with a man, the….....

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