Yasmin Drug Interactions

Effects of Other Medicaments on Yasmin: Interactions of other drugs (enzyme inducers, some antibiotics) with oral contraceptives may lead to breakthrough bleeding and/or contraceptive failure. Women on treatment with any of these drugs should temporarily use a barrier method in addition to the COC or choose another method of contraception. With microsomal enzyme-inducing drugs, the barrier method should be used during the time of concomitant drug administration and for 28 days after their discontinuation. Women on treatment with antibiotics (except rifampicin and griseofulvin) should use the barrier method until 7 days after discontinuation. If the period during which the barrier method is used runs beyond the end of the tablets in the COC pack, the next COC pack should be started without the usual tablet-free interval.
Substances Diminishing the Efficacy of COCs (Enzyme Inducers and Antibiotics): Enzyme induction (increase of hepatic metabolism): Interactions can occur with drugs that induce microsomal enzymes which can result in increased clearance of sex hormones (eg, phenytoin, barbiturates, primidone, carbamazepine, rifampicin, and possibly also oxcarbazepine, topiramate, felbamate, griseofulvin and products containing St. John's wort).
Also HIV protease (eg, ritonavir) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (eg, nevirapine) and combinations of them have been reported to potentially increase hepatic metabolism.
Antibiotics (interference with enterohepatic circulation): Some clinical reports suggest that enterohepatic circulation of estrogens may decrease when certain antibiotic agents are given which may reduce ethinylestradiol concentrations (eg, penicillins, tetracyclines).
Substances Interfering with the Metabolism of Combined Hormonal Contraceptives (Enzyme Inhibitors): The main metabolites of drospirenone in human plasma are generated without involvement of the cytochrome P-450 system. Inhibitors of this enzyme system are therefore unlikely to influence the metabolism of drospirenone.
Effects of COCs on Other Medicaments: Oral contraceptives may affect the metabolism of certain other drugs. Accordingly, plasma and tissue concentrations may either increase (eg, cyclosporin) or decrease (eg, lamotrigine).
Based on in vitro inhibition studies and in vivo interaction studies in female volunteers using omeprazole, simvastatin and midazolam as marker substrates, an interaction of drospirenone at doses of 3 mg with the metabolism of other drugs is unlikely.
Other Forms of Interactions: Serum Potassium: There is a theoretical potential for an increase in serum potassium in women taking Yasmin with other drugs that may increase serum potassium levels. Such drugs include angiotensin II receptor antagonists, potassium-sparing diuretics, and aldosterone antagonists. However, in studies evaluating the interaction of drospirenone (combined with estradiol) with an ACE inhibitor or indomethacin, no clinically or statistically significant differences in serum potassium concentrations were observed.
Laboratory Tests: The use of contraceptive steroids may influence the results of certain laboratory tests, including biochemical parameters of liver, thyroid, adrenal and renal function, plasma levels of (carrier) proteins, eg corticosteroid binding globulin and lipid/lipoprotein fractions, parameters of carbohydrate metabolism and parameters of coagulation and fibrinolysis. Changes generally remain within the normal laboratory range. Drospirenone causes an increase in plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone induced by its mild antimineralocorticoid activity.
Note: The prescribing information of concomitant medications should be consulted to identify potential interactions.
Incompatibilities: None.