What is tibolone (Livial)?
Tibolone is a synthetic steroid that has progestogenic and some androgenic properties (Q 2.9) as well as oestrogenic effects. As it has effects of all three groups of hormones produced by the ovaries (the female gonads) it has been called gonadomimetic. Livial has the advantages of HRT whilst allowing bleed-free HRT for postmenopausal women. There may be irregular bleeding for up to 4-6 months in 10% of patients.
As tibolone has some androgenic effects, from a theoretical point of view it might be expected to improve sexual function and there is some clinical evidence to support this.
There is evidence that Tibolone is less prone to cause irregular bleeding than low dose continuous combined HRT.0701
Related Medical Abstracts - Click on the paper title:-
- Tibolone and low-dose continuous combined hormone treatment: vaginal bleeding pattern, efficacy and tolerability.(2007-01)
- Endometrial Effects of Tibolone. (2006-01)
- Effect of different preparations of hormone therapy on sexual dysfunction in naturally postmenopausal women. (2006-02)
- Tibolone for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms and genital atrophy in postmenopausal women: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. (2006-03)
- Different effects of tibolone and low-dose EPT in the management of postmenopausal women with primary headaches. (2006-04)
- Tibolone relieves climacteric symptoms in highly symptomatic women with at least seven hot flushes and sweats per day. (2005-01)
- Effect on sexual life--a comparison between tibolone and continuous combined conjugated e quine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate. (2005-02)
- Efficacy and safety of oral tibolone 1.25 or 2.5 mg/day vs. placebo in postmenopausal women. (2003-01)
- Dose-response analysis of effects of tibolone on climacteric symptoms. (2002-01)
- Differential effects on the androgen status of postmenopausal women treated with tibolone and continuous combined estradiol and norethindrone acetate replacement therapy (2001)
- The comparison of effects of tibolone and conjugated estrogen-medroxyprogesterone acetate therapy on sexual performance in postmenopausal women. (2000-01)
- A double-blind, randomised trial comparing the effects of tibolone and continuous combined hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women with menopausal symptoms (1998-01)
- A double-blind, randomised trial comparing the effects of tibolone and continuous combined hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women with menopausal symptoms. (1998-02)
- A study of the effect of tibolone on the vagina in postmenopausal women (1994)
- The incidence of vaginal bleeding with tibolone treatment (1994)
- Effect of tibolone on postmenopausal bone loss (1994)
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This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
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