Summary of Drug Interactions with Oral Contraceptives

This volume is designed to help physicians in their daily practice by providing practical information in an accessible form. When prescribing drugs the physician has to take into consideration that concurrent administration may lead to drug interactions. This is especially so in the case of oral contraceptives, which are agents usually taken continuously for many years. Interactions due to the concurrent administration of an oral contraceptive and another drug may have two different implications - either reduced efficacy of the pill, or an altered pharmacological effect of the other drug (and, occasionally, as a result of the latter, even the occurence of adverse effects). Both types of interactions are reviewed. A systematic, classified approach is used throughout the text. Individual drug interactions are discussed under a series of standard headings - level of documentation, severity, mechanism of action, management and clinical significance. Wherever relevant, therapeutic recommendations are provided for the management of oral contraceptive users who need multidrug treatment. As a result, this book should provide a practical guide to doctors in caring for their patients.