Known colloquially as the "designer estrogen", Raloxifene or Evista is an alternative to estrogen for preventing bone loss in postmenopausal women.
Raloxifene or Evista is a selective estrogen receptor modulator meaning that it affects some of the same receptors that estrogen does, but not all, and in some instances, it antagonises or blocks estrogen.
It acts like estrogen to prevent bone loss and improve lipid profiles, but it has the potential to block some estrogen effects such as those that lead to breast cancer and uterine cancer.
Being and estrogen-like substance, Raloxifene or Evista has estrogen-like side effects, for example nausea, vomiting, changes in cycles. However, in general, it is well tolerated.
Because Raloxifene or Evista does have estrogen-like effects, it must be used with caution by women who could not normally use estrogen, for example those with breast cancer or uterine cancer. However, as more is understood about the drug's antagonist effects, it may be a suitable alternative to estrogen for these women.
Raloxifene or Evista with its estrogen-like effects can affect blood clotting and thus must be used with care in combination with other drugs that affect blood clotting, for example the warfarin anticoagulants.
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Obstet Gynocol Surv 1996;51:45
The relevant product monographs must be regarded as the appropriate sources of prescribing information.