Estradiol Side Effects

Wondering about estradiol side effects? Estradiol, is a synthetic estrogen used for a variety of conditions, including but not limited to hormone replacement. It is used for the following:

• moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms of menopause; vulvar and vaginal atrophy associated with menopause
• low estrogen levels due to hypogonadism, castration, or primary ovarian failure
• metastatic breast cancer only in appropriately selected men and women
• advanced androgen-dependent prostate cancer
• prevention of osteoporosis, only in women who are at significant risk of osteoporosis and for whom non-estrogen medications are not considered to be appropriate

In addition to the estradiol side effects that are listed below, estradiol also has the following black box warnings:

• Estrogens in general increase the risk of endometrial cancer
• Increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, invasive breast cancer, pulmonary emboli, and deep vein thrombosis in postmenopausal women
• Increased probability of developing dementia

Estradiol Side Effects

• Abdominal cramps
• Aggravation of porphyria - porphyria is a type of inherited blood disorder
• Anaphylactoid/anaphylactic reactions
• Angioedema
• Arthralgias - joint pain
• Bloating
• Breakthrough bleeding
• Breast cancer
• Breast enlargement
• Breast pain
• Breast tenderness
• Change in the amount of cervical secretion
• Changes in cervical ectropion
• Changes in libido
• Changes in vaginal bleeding pattern and abnormal withdrawal bleeding or flow
• Chloasma or melasma - tan/brown patchy discoloration of the skin, especially of the face
• Cholestatic jaundice
• Chorea
• Decrease in weight (weight loss)
• Deep venous thrombosis
• Dementia
• Dizziness
• Dysmenorrhea - menstrual pain
• Edema - swelling due to fluid retention
• Endometrial cancer
• Endometrial hyperplasia - abnormal thickening of the lining of the uterus due to excessive cell growth
• Enlargement of hepatic hemangiomas
• Erythema multiforme - red, blistery rash
• Erythema nodosum - inflammation of the fat cells under the skin
• Exacerbation of asthma
• Exacerbation of epilepsy
• Fibrocystic breast changes
• Galactorrhea - abnormal discharge of breast milk without childbirth
• Headache
• Hemorrhagic eruption
• Hirsutism - excessive hair growth, especially in women
• Hypocalcemia - low calcium levels
• Increase in blood pressure
• Increase in size of uterine leiomyomata - a benign growth in the uterus
• Increase in weight (weight gain)
• Increased incidence of gallbladder disease
• Increased triglycerides
• Intolerance to contact lenses
• Irritability
• Leg cramps
• Loss of scalp hair
• Mental depression
• Migraine
• Mood disturbances
• Myocardial infarction
• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Nipple discharge
• Ovarian cancer
• Pancreatitis
• Pruritus - itching
• Pulmonary embolism
• Rash
• Reduced carbohydrate tolerance
• Retinal vascular thrombosis - blood clot in the eye
• Spotting
• Steepening of corneal curvature
• Stroke
• Superficial venous thrombosis
• Thrombophlebitis - blood clot in a vein
• Urticaria - hives
• Vaginitis, including vaginal candidiasis - inflammation of the vagina
• Vomiting

The practice of medicine is a thinker's art,
the practice of surgery a plumber's.
- Martin H. Fisher

Drug Manufacturer Information

Bristol-Myers Squibb
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
800-321-1335 (US only)
609-897-6669

This website is updated quite frequently (as things change so rapidly in the world of pharmaceuticals), so if you find the information here useful please subscribe to our monthly newsletter - The Armchair Pharmacist. It tells you each month about new information that has been added to the site as well additional news on the latest goings-on in the world of medications and all things pharma.

Return from Estradiol Side Effects to Other Drugs List

Return from Estradiol Side Effects to Home Page

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

March 9, 2010