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Climara Warnings and Precautions
Before starting hormone replacement therapy with Climara, warnings and precautions for the drug should be discussed with your healthcare provider. It is important to know that Climara may increase the risk of dementia, breast cancer, and gallbladder disease. It can also worsen certain medical conditions, so it is important to tell your healthcare provider about any existing conditions you have, including asthma, migraines, or diabetes.
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to using Climara® (estradiol patch) if you have:
- Heart disease or heart problems of any kind
- Cancer (or if you have had cancer in the past)
- Had a heart attack or stroke
- Had a blood clot
- Gallbladder disease
- High cholesterol or high triglycerides
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Diabetes
- Had yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin (jaundice) during a prior pregnancy or estrogen use
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus)
- Migraines
- Hepatic hemangioma (a kind of liver tumor)
- Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or liver tumors
- Asthma
- Porphyria (a condition involving problems with certain enzymes in the body)
- Seizures or epilepsy
- Kidney disease, including kidney failure (renal failure)
- An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- Endometriosis
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding
- Any allergies, including allergies to drugs, foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you:
- Have an upcoming surgery
- Smoke cigarettes
- Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Are breastfeeding.
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any other medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD