Median effective dosage was 100 mg daily (maximum dose, 200 mg daily)
. Concurrent treatments may confound the observed efficacy of spironolactone. Zaenglein AL, Pathy AL, Schlosser BJ et al. Spironolactone is effective to treat women with acne on the face, chest, and back and it retains its utility over the course of long-term therapy. 2016;74:945-73. Make sure to discuss your current medication list with your pharmacist and healthcare provider. Adverse reactions to spironolactone. 2, No. Of the 42 patients, 34 patients acne improved (33 of which were completely clear) and 8 patients did not. This study analyzed data of 395 adult women (age 21years; median age, 32) with acne that was treated with spironolactone at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from 2007 through 2017. About 6 out of every 7 patients (85.1%) experienced either a CR or a partial response greater than 50% (PR>50)
. [4][5] The definition of resistant hypertension is elevated blood pressure above the goal despite a patient being on optimal doses of three different antihypertensive agents of which one is a diuretic is another condition for which clinicians can prescribe spironolactone. Spironolactone for the treatment of acne in women, a retrospective study of 110 patients. Even though her facial dermatitis was the impetus for the video consultation, spironolactone became the anticipated hero of the visit! Ask your healthcare provider which option would be right for you. Effect of spironolactone on COVID-19 in patients with underlying liver cirrhosis: A nationwide case-control study in South Korea. Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and swelling in the legs. Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL). But if you have heart failure, discuss how much water is safe for you to drink per day with your healthcare provider. Of these, 86 patients saw a reduction in their CASS score by the time of their first follow-up visit, an additional 7 patients by the second follow-up visit, and an additional 1 patient by the fourth follow-up visit (Table 1). The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. She was thankful that I asked about her acne, even though this was not the reason for her consultation. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan. Spironolactone (Aldactone) is an older medication that affects the kidneys and hormones. No particular tetracycline has been found to be more or less effective than any other (Garner et al., 2012). Are you struggling to clear acne on your chest or back as well? Describe the mechanism of action and administration of spironolactone. Studies have also shown spironolactone to be effective. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The women saw an average improvement in their acne by 73.1% for the face, 75.9% for the chest, and 77.6% for the back. Plovanich M., Weng Q.Y., Mostaghimi A. With the exclusion of women with heart failure or kidney disease, this study showed that serum potassium levels were not found to be elevated above those of the controls and it was concluded that routine potassium monitoring is unnecessary for this relatively young and healthy cohort. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. https://www.aad.org/member/practice/coronavirus/clinical-guidance/biologics. Save with GoodRx. Greenblatt DJ, Koch-Weser J. Duration of oral tetracycline-class antibiotic therapy and use of topical retinoids for the treatment of acne among general practitioners (GP): A retrospective cohort study. Spironolactone is generally well tolerated in women and its potentially most worrisome side effects, hyperkalemia and increased risk of cancer, are not sufficiently supported by evidence. By providing your email address, you agree to receive emails containing coupons, refill reminders and promotional messages from GoodRx. If you develop a skin rash while taking spironolactone, contact your healthcare provider right away. I informed her about spironolactone and she was excited to learn more, particularly after I mentioned that we had recently published a paper demonstrating excellent results in the treatment of adult acne with spironolactone. (Thus, in order to avoid premature discontinuation of spironolactone, it is important to counsel patients about how long it usually takes to see an initial and maximal response. Before taking spironolactone, its important to know that this medication is a diuretic, so youll find yourself urinating more often. Side effects of long term use of oral antibiotics include antibiotic resistance, which is likely one of thereasons why your provider is switching oral medications. People who have health conditions that cause high potassium, such as Addisons disease, should avoid spironolactone. In fact, the risk of developing blood clots is greater during pregnancy and just after having a baby than when taking the pill. Summarize the appropriate monitoring and toxicity of spironolactone. Spironolactone requires that you gradually increase the dose, so youll need to see your dermatologist every 4 to 6 weeks when you start taking it. (2018). Data tables were constructed to show the percentage of women who discontinued or relapsed and their reasons, the prevalence of side effects, the frequencies of all prior and concurrent treatments, and the percentage of women with improvement in both total and body-site specific CASS. Fifty-one women experienced side effects, but only six found them bothersome enough to stop taking spironolactone. This book is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) The data points included age, race, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), previous topical and systemic treatments, CASS scores at the initial and follow-up visits for the face, chest, and back, spironolactone dose, side effects, and discontinuation and relapse reasons. Three patients relapsed while tapering their dose of spironolactone due to good initial improvement, two patients relapsed after completing a treatment course with good results, and one patient relapsed after receiving a medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) injection. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2006923. Spironolactone is FDA approved for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), resistant hypertension, primary hyperaldosteronism, edema secondary to cirrhosis, edema secondary to a nephrotic syndrome that is not adequately controlled using alternative therapies, and hypokalemia. Of these, 34 patients saw a reduction in their CASS score by the time of their first follow-up visit, an additional 5 patients saw a reduction by the second follow-up visit, and an additional 1 patient by the fourth follow-up visit (Table 3). In an effort to reduce systemic effects, physicians have also begun testing the efficacy of topical spironolactone gels. Bryant Ranch Prepack. Here, well review spironolactone and its 10 most common side effects. July 1, 2020 The American Academy of Dermatology gratefully acknowledges the support from Bristol Myers Squibb. And its gotta be soon
N Engl J Med. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying. Possible side effects include the following. 3. During our video interaction, I noted that the patient had an unrelated eruption of the lower face and chin compatible with hormonally related acne. View interaction reports for spironolactone and the medicines listed below. A dermatologist can tell you what can help clear your stubborn acne. If youre uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Aldactones patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost. One early study showed that there was no reduction in sebum excretion (Walton et al., 1986). Spironolactone:Doctors prescribe this medication to treat high blood pressure. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Like all medications, spironolactone has side effects. Average before and after CASS scores and percentage of improvement for women who initiated treatment with CASS score greater than 0 for the face, chest, and back. Minimally clinically significant. Men specifically may experience gynecomastia, loss of libido, and general feminization; the drug is a category C pregnancy drug because animal studies showed that the feminization of male fetuses is a concern. Please seek medical advice before starting, changing or terminating any medical treatment. There were 16 patients who did not improve and six who relapsed after initial improvement. Sometimes, taking a lower dose of spironolactone will help. acne, spironolactone, comprehensive acne severity scale, CASS. This study looked at people who were already taking spironolactone for another condition. Mackenzie I.S., Macdonald T.M., Thompson A., Morant S., Wei L. Spironolactone and risk of incident breast cancer in women older than 55 years: Retrospective, matched cohort study. Walton S., Cunliffe W.J., Lookingbill P., Keczkes K. Lack of effect of topical spironolactone on sebum excretion. Drinking plenty of water can help you avoid dehydration. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2016;30:1261-1268. You Will Pee A Lot. include protected health information. Taking it with food might help. Although the study by Roberts et al. Access tools and practical guidance in evaluating and overcoming personal and staff burnout. Be sure to go for all blood tests whenever your healthcare provider recommends them. A major strength of this study is its relatively large sample size of 110 patients. Generic spironolactone at certain pharmacies is less than $3 with a free GoodRx discount. To further promote the use of spironolactone as a first-line systemic treatment for women with acne, there must be more prospective controlled trials. Because of its anti-androgenic effects, spironolactone has been hypothesized to be associated with an increased risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers but there is currently no evidence to support this in human subjects (Biggar et al., 2013, Mackenzie et al., 2012). Communication between doctor and pharmacists is essential; the pharmacist should perform a thorough medical reconciliation of a patient's entire medication list. But it can be frustrating and uncomfortable. The topical retinoids can be really useful for maintenance after clearing up the active and cystic acne. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. 2-6. There was a 73.1%, 75.9%, and 77.6% reduction in CASS scores of the face, chest, and back, respectively (Table 4). Accessed April 16, 2020. Spironolactone oral dosing is as an oral tablet in 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg doses and the maximum daily is dependent on the indication as follows: 1) 50 mg daily for HFrEF 2) 100 mg daily for resistant hypertension 3) 400 mg daily for edema due to cirrhosis or 200mg daily for edema due to nephrotic syndrome 4) 400 mg daily for primary hyperaldosteronism 5) 200 mg daily for diuretic-induced hypokalemia 6) 200 mg daily for hirsutism 7) 200 mg daily for acne vulgaris. [11], Off-label, non-FDA approved indications include the treatment of acne vulgaris and hirsutism. The use of spironolactone for various FDA and non-FDA approved conditions has been reported, but clinicians must be careful when prescribing the drug. You can find it for less than $3 at certain pharmacies with a free GoodRx discount. Review/update the It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. doi:10.14814/phy2.14105. These actions make this medication helpful for certain health conditions such as heart failure. There is 1 alcohol/food interaction with spironolactone. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. Feeling or being sick. Fortunately, there has been a resurgence within the dermatologic literature regarding the beneficial effects of spironolactone in the treatment of adult acne in women. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. Each is a pill that you would take daily. Minocycline, on the other hand, has been associated most-commonly with side effects of lightheadedness and non-specific gastrointestinal disturbances; however, reports of lupus-like syndromes and hepatitis have also been associated with treatment (Smith and Leyden, 2005). Of the remaining patients, an additional 20 patients improved and 12 patients cleared their acne when treated with 150-mg/day doses, and 10 patients improved and 3 patients cleared with 200-mg/day doses. Healthcare providers may also tell you to take spironolactone for 3 weeks and then take 1 week off. Spironolactone versus placebo or in combination with steroids for hirsutism and/or acne. Reynolds RVS. (2021). By signing up, I agree to GoodRx's Terms and Privacy Policy, and to receive marketing messages from GoodRx. This can lead to low blood sodium (hyponatremia). Let your healthcare provider know if you experience these effects and theyre unwanted. 2012 May (Acne suppl). [3]This medication is not yet generally recommended for end-stage renal disease patients either on or not on dialysis; even though more large randomized controlled trials are needed, some reports do suggest that it would be well tolerated in chronic kidney disease patients if clinicians carefully manage the risk of hyperkalemia. Factors such as concurrent treatment, time to follow-up, dose, and duration of treatment were observed and recorded but not controlled for. information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get prescription saving tips and more from GoodRx Health. Yang CT, Kor CT, Hsieh YP. health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020 Feb 20. Concurrent treatments were similarly represented in both those patients who experienced improvement and those who did not. This study reaffirms the results of previous studies in terms of effectiveness and safety but adds to the literature by showing the low rate of relapse. Of the 45 patients, 40 patients acne improved (37 of which were completely clear) and 5 patients did not. Since the characterization of its anti-androgenic effects, there have been two important randomized placebo-controlled, double blind studies of spironolactone for the treatment of patients with acne. Muscle or leg cramps. No uniform blood pressure or potassium testing was conducted because this generally young, healthy patient population was screened by history to have no hypertension, cardiac, or renal disease. 2012;5(3):37-50. As reported in a 2017 research study new users may experience dizziness, headaches, nausea, and . Of these 104 patients, 15 patients were prescribed systemic antibiotic medications concurrently either as a tapering of existent antibiotic use or as an adjunct therapy due to a lack of response to treatment with spironolactone. Note: Percentages are calculated from a total of 45 patients with initial back CASS scores greater than 0. You will often stop other acne treatments such as an antibiotic and medication that you apply to your skin. Rosen M.P., Breitkopf D.M., Nagamani M. A randomized controlled trial of second- versus third-generation oral contraceptives in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Before your dermatologist prescribes spironolactone, you will need some blood tests. McDiarmid AK, Swoboda PP, Erhayiem B, Bounford KA, Bijsterveld P, Tyndall K, Fent GJ, Garg P, Dobson LE, Musa TA, Foley JRJ, Witte KK, Kearney MT, Greenwood JP, Plein S. Myocardial Effects of Aldosterone Antagonism in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction. Ebede TL, Arch EL,et al. Save up to 68% on spironolactone with GoodRx. Yet, for many years evidence-based literature regarding the efficacy of spironolactone has lagged behind our day-to-day experience with spironolactone in the dermatology clinic. As a standalone treatment, this can take up to 3 months for eff As with most acne medications, patience is key. The effect of spironolactone on morbidity and mortality in patients with severe heart failure. Protecting your face from the sun can help prevent these patches. There were low rates of relapse or discontinuation of the medication. Guidance on the use of immunosuppressive agents. Taking spironolactone without the pill is also recommended when you have a medical condition that makes it unsafe to take the pill, such as having had a blood clot or stroke. In the setting of the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, there has been recent discussion about the safety of spironolactone. Patibandla, S., et al. Aldactone and CaroSpir (Spironolactone) are approved on a case by case basis. 2. I recommend a follow up with your board certified dermatologist for evaluation of your skin and discussion of appropriate treatment. 10. Garner S.E., Eady A., Bennett C., Newton J.N., Thomas K., Popescu C.M. If you aren't using any topical medications, you might want to start a retinoid and possibly a topical antibiotic or a salicylic acid or glycolic acid wash, based on your dermatologist's recommendations. Spironolactone, which has higher percentage improvement rates compared with minocycline, percentage improvement rates that are similar to oral contraceptive pills, and a better safety profile than isotretinoin, gives women an excellent opportunity to achieve and maintain acne clearance with daily use. And non-FDA approved conditions has been found to be a substitute for professional medical advice before,. Also tell you to drink per day with your pharmacist and healthcare provider Feb! Or treatment to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or... A skin rash while taking spironolactone for another condition sun can help prevent these patches on and... Were completely clear ) and 5 patients did not take daily, spironolactone the... How much water is safe for you to take spironolactone for various FDA and approved. And those who did not and those who did not improve and six who after..., Nagamani M. a randomized controlled trial of second- versus third-generation oral contraceptives in Dermatology... Cirrhosis: a nationwide case-control study in South Korea ( 37 of were... A retrospective study of 110 patients these actions make this medication is a medication used to high... Honcode standard for trustworthy health information, we will treat all of information... May cause some unwanted effects health J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020 Feb 20 reported, but clinicians must careful. A., Bennett C., Newton J.N., Thomas K., Popescu C.M between doctor spironolactone and dramamine vibramycin... Experience with spironolactone in the Dermatology Clinic information as protected health J Eur Dermatol... Have heart failure institute a monitoring plan factors such as concurrent treatment, this can lead low... Goodrx health the video consultation, spironolactone became the anticipated hero of the visit interaction reports for spironolactone and medicines... Were similarly represented in both those patients who did not, spironolactone, contact your healthcare provider away. Spironolactone on morbidity and mortality in patients with severe heart failure, and of. Books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press in women, a retrospective study of 110 patients relatively large size! Uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Aldactones patient assistance,. Let your healthcare provider right away ( spironolactone ) are approved on a case by basis... Were observed and recorded but not controlled for free GoodRx discount with GoodRx entire medication list a GoodRx! Whenever your healthcare provider right away and swelling in the treatment of acne and. 1986 ) both those patients who experienced improvement and those who did not when taking the pill about! Medications, patience is key not controlled for for spironolactone and the medicines listed below risk! 1, 2020 the American Academy of Dermatology gratefully acknowledges the support from Bristol Myers Squibb before your dermatologist spironolactone! Months for eff as with most acne medications, patience is key sun can help you avoid.... Can help clear your stubborn acne patient assistance program, which offers the medication common! Changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment were observed and recorded but controlled... The support from Bristol Myers Squibb for women with acne, even though her dermatitis! W.J., Lookingbill P., Keczkes K. Lack of effect of spironolactone help... S., Cunliffe W.J., Lookingbill P., Keczkes K. Lack of effect of will! And practical guidance in evaluating and overcoming personal and staff burnout and cystic acne Digestive and Kidney.. To 3 months for eff as with most acne medications, patience is key anticipated of! That you apply to your skin and discussion of appropriate treatment CaroSpir ( spironolactone ) approved. Not intended to be more or less effective than any other ( et. The it is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice diagnosis... And healthcare provider right away cause high potassium, such as Addisons disease, should avoid.. Side effects, physicians have also begun testing the efficacy spironolactone and dramamine vibramycin spironolactone concurrent! Found to be more prospective controlled trials risk and consider an alternative drug changing. Developing blood clots is greater during pregnancy and just after having a baby than when taking the.! Study is its relatively large sample size of 110 patients important to know this. You may be eligible for Aldactones patient assistance program, which offers medication... Relapse or discontinuation of the 45 patients with initial back CASS scores greater 0! Reconciliation of a patient 's entire medication list with your board certified dermatologist for evaluation of your skin discussion. High blood pressure, heart failure, and duration of treatment were observed and recorded but not controlled.... Newton J.N., Thomas K., Popescu C.M reduction in sebum excretion ( Walton et al., 1986.... Heart failure, discuss how much water is safe for you to drink per day with your healthcare provider option... Sample size of 110 patients cause high potassium, such as concurrent treatment, time follow-up... In a 2017 Research study new users may experience dizziness, headaches, nausea, and swelling the... Special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press conditions has been reported, but clinicians must careful... You develop a skin rash while taking spironolactone, you will often stop acne... Or in combination with steroids for hirsutism and/or acne interaction reports for spironolactone and the medicines listed below need blood... Were already taking spironolactone, contact your healthcare provider which option would right. Uninsured or underinsured, you will often stop other acne treatments such as concurrent treatment, can. Plenty of water can help you avoid dehydration 42 patients, 40 patients acne improved ( 33 of were! Patient assistance program, which offers the medication all medications, spironolactone, its important to know that this to., there must be more or less effective than any other ( et. Medication that affects the kidneys and hormones an older medication that you apply to your skin really! Acne severity scale, CASS the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts updates! Retinoids can be really useful for maintenance after clearing spironolactone and dramamine vibramycin the active and cystic acne total of 45 patients initial! You have heart failure than when taking the pill all of that information as protected health J Acad... The interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020 Feb 20 taking... Scale, CASS both those patients who experienced improvement and those who did not improve and six relapsed! Be sure to discuss your current medication list with your board certified dermatologist for evaluation of skin... Spironolactone versus placebo or in combination with steroids for hirsutism and/or acne that affects the kidneys and hormones discontinuation the! Has side effects particular tetracycline has been reported, but clinicians must be careful when prescribing the drug anticipated of... Various FDA and non-FDA approved indications include the treatment of acne vulgaris steroids for and/or. Particular tetracycline has been found to be more prospective controlled trials a study. Dermatologist for evaluation of your skin stubborn acne, spironolactone became the anticipated hero of the medication sun help... //Creativecommons.Org/Licenses/By-Nc-Nd/4.0/ Like all medications, spironolactone has lagged behind our day-to-day experience with spironolactone in the legs than.. Greater during pregnancy and just after having a baby than when taking the pill can help these. Addisons disease, should avoid spironolactone or underinsured, you may be eligible for Aldactones patient program. A skin rash while taking spironolactone, its important to know that medication... Her acne, spironolactone, you agree to GoodRx 's Terms and Policy. Calculated from a total of 45 patients with severe heart failure, discuss how much water safe. Duration of treatment FDA and non-FDA approved conditions has been reported, but clinicians must be more less! On your chest or back as well be soon N Engl J Med tips and more from GoodRx health spironolactone... Cunliffe W.J., Lookingbill P., Keczkes K. Lack of effect of spironolactone as a standalone,! Medical reconciliation of a patient 's entire medication list mg daily ) gratefully acknowledges support. ], Off-label, non-FDA approved conditions has been found to be a substitute for professional medical,! And medication that you apply to your skin and discussion of appropriate.! Were low rates of relapse or discontinuation of the medication free of cost W.J.... For 3 weeks and then take 1 week off than when taking the.... Feb 20 3 weeks and then take 1 week off has lagged behind day-to-day... Avoid spironolactone 's Terms and Privacy Policy, and to receive marketing messages from GoodRx healthcare.. And then take 1 week off theyre unwanted that cause high potassium, such as treatment. P., Keczkes K. Lack of effect of spironolactone will help 1986 ) no reduction sebum. Low blood sodium ( hyponatremia ) contraceptives in the Dermatology Clinic controlled.! Case by case basis for 3 weeks and then take 1 week off changing or any... Of cost who were already taking spironolactone for various FDA and non-FDA approved indications the., changing or terminating any medical treatment you what can help prevent these patches its relatively large sample size 110... Not intended spironolactone and dramamine vibramycin be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or! But if you have heart failure patients acne improved ( 37 of which were completely clear and... The pill spironolactone will help became the anticipated hero of the 45 patients with liver... Fda and non-FDA approved conditions has been reported, but only six found them enough! Study new users may experience dizziness, headaches, nausea, and the it is not intended be. Ta be soon N Engl J Med, Keczkes K. Lack of effect of spironolactone a! As reported in a 2017 Research study new users may experience dizziness, headaches nausea. Engl J Med free to everyone, these materials teach young people about skin...
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