MIFEPRISTONE

Course overview

MIFEPRISTONE IS A SYNTHETIC STEROID. IT IS A MEDICATION MOST COMMONLY USED FOR MEDICALLY INDUCED ABORTIONS. MIFEPRISTONE CAN ALSO BE USED IN THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF CUSHING'S SYNDROME AND UTERINE LEIOMYOMAS. AT LOW DOSES, MIFEPRISTONE BLOCKS PROGESTERONE BY COMPETITIVELY BINDING ITS INTRACELLULAR RECEPTOR. AT HIGH DOSES, MIFEPRISTONE BLOCKS CORTISOL AT THE GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTOR, THUS SIMULTANEOUSLY INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF CIRCULATING CORTISOL, WHICH CONTROLS HYPERGLYCEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH CUSHING SYNDROME. THE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE REACTIONS TO MIFEPRISTONE INCLUDE BACTERIAL INFECTIONS AND PROLONGED, HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING. MIFEPRISTONE IS CONTRAINDICATED IN PATIENTS WITH: AN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY, HYPERSENSITIVITY TO PROSTAGLANDINS, UNDIAGNOSED RENAL MASSES, CONCURRENT IUD USE, HEMORRHAGIC DISORDERS, AND SEVERE ANEMIA. THIS ACTIVITY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE MECHANISM OF ACTION, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILE, AND OTHER KEY FACTORS (E.G., DOSING, PHARMACODYNAMICS, PHARMACOKINETICS, MONITORING, AND RELEVANT INTERACTIONS OF MIFEPRISTONE) THAT PERTAIN TO THE HEALTHCARE TEAM WHEN TREATING PATIENTS WITH MIFEPRISTONE.