RESUMO
Since the beginning of the commercialization, in 1960, of combined estrogen-progestin hormonal contraceptives (CHCs), their use has become widespread for other non-contraceptive indications: dysmenorrhea, irregular cycle length, hypermenorrhea and acne, among others (Lete, 2009; Barranco, 2016). In all cases, these are mild pathologies or minor symptoms for which there are effective therapeutic alternatives. Millions of women in the world receive this treatment, which acts by inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian hormonal axis (HHO Axis), the central axis and regulator of the entire sexual and reproductive physiology of women. Despite the existence of an enormous number of women subjected to this inhibition (ACHs are currently used by some 214 million women around the world, with an annual market of close to 18 billion dollars), very little research has been done on the consequences of suppressing the HHO axis. Only in recent years, and in parallel to the demonstration of the existence of functional receptors for gonadotropins at different levels in the central and peripheral nervous systems, have publications on the neuropsychological effects of HCAs begun to appear. It is also striking that, despite being the most widely used drugs and for the longest time for the treatment of functional gynecological disorders, their use is outside the technical data sheet (i.e., they are used for purposes other than those listed in the official indication approved in their technical data sheet and which appear in the package insert). Although the use of these hormonal products causes a wide variety of side effects, which have been widely studied in the medical literature, the present study proposes, after an exposition of the different aspects of the use of HCAs, a detailed review of the available literature on the neuropsychological effects due to the annulment of the HHO axis. This in order to, after a biological analysis, subsequently establish whether there is an ethical appropriateness in the use that concerns us.
Assuntos
Anticoncepcionais Orais Hormonais , Ovário , Feminino , Humanos , Anticoncepcionais Orais Hormonais/efeitos adversosRESUMO
Desde el comienzo de la comercialización, en 1960, de los anticonceptivos hormonales combinados deestrógenos y progestágenos (ACH), se ha generalizado su utilización para otras indicaciones no anticoncep-tivas: dismenorrea, ciclos de duración irregular, hipermenorrea y acné, entre otros (Lete, 2009; Barranco,2016). En todos los casos se tratan de patologías leves o síntomas menores para los que existen alternativasterapéuticas eficaces. Millones de mujeres en el mundo reciben este tratamiento, que actúa inhibiendoel eje hormonal hipotalámico-hipofisárico-ovárico (Eje HHO), eje central y regulador de toda la fisiologíasexual y reproductiva de la mujer. Pese a la existencia de una enorme cantidad de mujeres sometidas a estainhibición (actualmente los ACH son utilizados por unos 214 millones de mujeres alrededor del mundo,con un mercado anual cercano a los 18.000 millones de dólares), se ha investigado muy poco sobre lasconsecuencias de la supresión del eje HHO. Sólo en los últimos años, y en paralelo a la demostración de laexistencia de receptores funcionales para las gonadotropinas a diferentes niveles en los sistemas nerviososcentral y periférico, comienzan a aparecer publicaciones sobre los efectos neuropsicológicos de los ACH.Llama también la atención que, pese a ser los fármacos más empleados y desde hace más tiempo para eltratamiento de las alteraciones funcionales ginecológicas, su uso esté al margen de la ficha técnica (es de-cir, se les da un uso diferente a los recogidos en la indicación oficial aprobada en su ficha técnica y que figu-ra en el prospecto). Aunque el uso de estos productos hormonales causa efectos secundarios muy variados,y ampliamente estudiados en la literatura médica, en el presente estudio se plantea, tras una exposiciónde los distintos aspectos del uso de los ACH, una revisión pormenorizada de la bibliografía disponible sobrelos efectos neuropsicológicos debidos a la anulación del eje HHO.(AU)
Since the beginning of the commercialization, in 1960, of combined estrogen-progestin hormonal con-traceptives (CHCs), their use has become widespread for other non-contraceptive indications: dysmenorrhea,irregular cycle length, hypermenorrhea and acne, among others (Lete, 2009; Barranco, 2016). In all cases, the-se are mild pathologies or minor symptoms for which there are effective therapeutic alternatives. Millions ofwomen in the world receive this treatment, which acts by inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian hor-monal axis (HHO Axis), the central axis and regulator of the entire sexual and reproductive physiology of wo-men. Despite the existence of an enormous number of women subjected to this inhibition (ACHs are currentlyused by some 214 million women around the world, with an annual market of close to 18 billion dollars), verylittle research has been done on the consequences of suppressing the HHO axis. Only in recent years, and inparallel to the demonstration of the existence of functional receptors for gonadotropins at different levelsin the central and peripheral nervous systems, have publications on the neuropsychological effects of HCAsbegun to appear. It is also striking that, despite being the most widely used drugs and for the longest timefor the treatment of functional gynecological disorders, their use is outside the technical data sheet (i.e., theyare used for purposes other than those listed in the official indication approved in their technical data sheetand which appear in the package insert). Although the use of these hormonal products causes a wide varietyof side effects, which have been widely studied in the medical literature, the present study proposes, afteran exposition of the different aspects of the use of HCAs, a detailed review of the available literature on theneuropsychological effects due to the annulment of the HHO axis.(AU)
