Therapeutic possibilities of ulipristal acetate for uterine fibroids

This article examines the effect of the drug Esmya, the active substance of which is ulipristal acetate (UA). Currently, UA is used for the conservative treatment of benign uterine tumors – leiomyoma. This medication belongs to a group of drugs that selectively modify progesterone hormone receptors, which makes it possible to influence many processes genetically programmed by the female body. It has been established that ulipristal acetate has a positive effect not only on the course of a benign tumor process – uterine fibroids, but in most cases helps to reduce the size of the organ and the volume of uterine nodes, which as a result significantly improves the quality of life of patients, leveling a number of depressing symptoms characteristic of this pathology: hemorrhages, pain, and most importantly, in some cases, UA allows both to reduce the volume of surgical interventions and not to resort to invasive surgical treatment methods at all. UA works for organ conservation, giving a chance for continued fertility without suppressing the reproductive function of women. The presented literature review provides a comparative description of the medicinal action of a group of drugs: gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and selective modifiers of progesterone receptors, in particular UA. The clinical effect associated with a decrease in estrogenic effects and the incidence of side effects showed a high safety profile and a lower degree of intoxication from the hepatobiliary system when using the drug UA. In addition, the possibility of using this medication in the treatment of combined pathologies – uterine fibroids and endometriosis – was noted.

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