Premarin Side Effects Injury Lawsuits. Premarin (Generic: Conjugated estrogens) has been linked to the following serious side effects: Ovarian Cancer, Lupus, Scleroderma, Gallbladder Cancer and Stroke. Premarin is an estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used to treat the symptoms of menopause. Premarin is typically prescribed for women without a uterus.
Recently, the National Institutes of Health stopped a trial of women taking Premarin estrogen replacement therapy after finding the pills not only failed to reduce the risk of heart disease, but that they raised the possibility of a stroke. The Premarin trial was the second large trial of hormone replacement therapy to have been halted in two years. In July 2002, women taking Prempro (estrogen and progestin) were told to stop because of the risk of heart attack, stroke and some forms of cancer.
Higher-Than-Average Risk of Developing Ovarian Cancer
In a report published in the Journal of American Medical Association, doctors report that women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy such as Premarin for a long period of time have a higher-than-average risk of developing ovarian cancer. Women who took estrogen HRT’s like Premarin for longer periods of time had a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer, and the researchers noted a 7% increase in risk associated with every extra year of estrogen HRT use. Those who took estrogen for at least 10 years were twice as likely to develop ovarian cancer, and those who used the drugs for 20 or more years were three times as likely to develop ovarian cancer as those who did not take the hormone, the report indicates.
Premarin was the first hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drug to hit the market. Premarin was first marketed in 1942 to alleviate the symptoms of menopause in women. Today, Premarin is still the most popular HRT drug, and is one of the most prescribed drugs in the world. There are approximately 11 million women currently take Premarin. The popularity of this drug is due both to its extensive history and an aggressive marketing campaign by Wyeth.
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