Drospirenone Makes YAZ, Yasmin, Zarah and Ocella DangerousWhat makes YAZ/Yasmin unique also makes it uniquely dangerous. YAZ/Yasmin is considered a “fourth generation” contraceptive because it uses a combination of hormones: estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) and a synthetic progestin called drospirenone (or “drsp”). YAZ/Yasmin is the only form of birth control to contain drospirenone.
The increased risk of side effects from YAZ/Yasmin, relative to other birth control pills, comes from the fact that drospirenone acts as a potassium sparing diuretic. Both YAZ and Yasmin (and its generic equivalent Ocella) contain 3 mg. of drospirenone. This is the equivalent of 25 mg. of spirolactone, a powerful drug used to treat heart failure.
For marketing purposes, the makers of YAZ and Yasmin wanted the diuretic effect of drospirenone so there would be less weight gain and bloating, common side effects in other forms of oral birth control. But less weight gain and bloating came with increased and sometimes times deadly side effects. Drospirenone can cause elevated potassium levels, a condition called
hyperkalemia. While other forms of oral birth control come with certain health risks, drospirenone compounds these risks by elevating women’s potassium levels. Worse, drospirenone adds new risks which cause additional
side effects.
The YAZ lawyers and YAZ attorneys at DeCarli Law are evaluating and investigating YAZ side effect and Yasmin side effect lawsuits. Contact DeCarli Law for a free consultation if you or a loved one may have experienced a side effect of YAZ, Yasmin, Zarah or Ocella.
|