Prempro

Prempro is prescription medication used to treat moderate to severe hot flashes and vaginal dryness, burning, and irritation after menopause. Prempro is also used to reduce the risk of getting osteoporosis.

These medications may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. 

Important Information about the use of combinations of estrogens and progestin:

• Do not use estrogens with progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, or dementia (decline of brain function)
• Using estrogens with progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, or blood clots
• Using estrogens with progestins may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women 65 years of age or older
• Do not use estrogen-alone to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes or dementia
• Using estrogen-alone may increase your chance of getting cancer of the uterus (womb)
• Using estrogen-alone may increase your chances of getting strokes or blood clots
• Using estrogen-alone may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women 65 years of age or older
• You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Prempro.

Do not take this medication if you have had your uterus (womb) removed (hysterectomy). The medication contains a progestin to decrease the chance of getting cancer of the uterus. If you do not have a uterus, you do not need a progestin and you should not take Prempro.

Do not take Prempro if you:

• Have unusual vaginal bleeding
• Currently have or have had certain cancers. Estrogens may increase the chance of getting certain types of cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus.
If you have or have had cancer, talk with your healthcare provider about whether you should use Prempro.
• Had a stroke or heart attack
• Currently have or have had blood clots
• Currently have or have had liver problems
• Have been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder
• Are allergic to Prempro or any of this medication's ingredients
• Think you may be pregnant


Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Prempro should not be used while breastfeeding.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Do not smoke while using this medication. Smoking can increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack caused by conjugated estrogens and medroxyprogesterone.

In the U.S.

• Activella
• Alesse
• Alesse-28
• Angeliq
• Cyclessa
• Estinyl
• Femtrace
• Feostat
• Hemocyte
• Loestrin 1/20
• Loestrin 1.5/30
• Mircette
• Necon
• Ortho-Novum
• Premphase
• Prempro

Available Dosage Forms:

• Tablet
• Tablet, Chewable

• If you have an allergy to estrogens (conjugated/equine), medroxyprogesterone, or any other part of Prempro (estrogens (conjugated/equine) and medroxyprogesterone).
• If you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other signs.
• If you have had any of these health problems: Bleeding disorder, blood clots, a higher risk of having a blood clot, breast cancer, liver problems or liver tumor, heart attack, stroke, or a tumor where estrogen makes it grow.
• If you have unexplained vaginal bleeding.
• If you are pregnant or may be pregnant. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant.

This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with Prempro.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this medicine with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

Do not use Prempro if you have any of the following conditions: a history of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot (especially in your lung or your lower body), liver disease, abnormal vaginal bleeding, or a hormone-related cancer such as breast or uterine cancer. This medication can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects. Do not use Prempro if you are pregnant. Long-term use of Prempro may increase your risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, or blood clot. Talk with your doctor about your individual risks before using this medication long term.

Have regular physical exams and mammograms, and self-examine your breasts for lumps on a monthly basis while using Prempro.

Prempro should not be used to prevent heart disease or dementia, because this medication may actually increase your risk of developing these conditions.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, or vaginal bleeding.

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);

• a thyroid medication such as levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothroid and others);

• insulin or diabetes medicine taken by mouth;

• rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane);

• ketoconazole (Nizoral) or itraconazole (Sporanox);

• seizure medicines such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), or primidone (Mysoline);

• a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton); or

• antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), or trimipramine (Surmontil).

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with Prempro. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.