Menostar Uses

What Is Menostar Used For?

Menostar^® (estradiol patch) is a prescription medication that contains estradiol (an estrogen hormone) in a skin patch that is changed once a week. The drug is approved for the prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

 

Estrogen helps keep the bones strong, and the decrease in estrogen during menopause causes a significant weakening of the bones. Sometimes, this may result in osteoporosis. By providing estrogen, Menostar can help prevent these menopause-related bone changes. However, the drug is not risk-free, and it should only be used after other non-hormonal osteoporosis medications have been carefully considered. Only women at significant risk for osteoporosis should use Menostar. It is important to get enough calcium and vitamin D while taking Menostar to prevent osteoporosis.

 

Menostar Use in Children and Teens

Menostar is not approved for use in children and teens. Discuss the risks and benefits of using the drug with your child's healthcare provider.

 

Off-Label Menostar Uses

On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend Menostar for something other than preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. This is called an "off-label" use. Using Menostar to treat menopause symptoms such as hot flashes or vaginal dryness would be an off-label use for the drug, since it is approved only for the prevention of osteoporosis. It is not known whether the low estrogen dose in Menostar is enough to be effective for treating such menopause symptoms.