The Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
February 2004
in “
PubMed
”
TLDR PCOS treatment focuses on inducing ovulation, reducing androgens, and managing long-term health risks with medications and lifestyle changes.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was treated symptomatically due to unclear etiology, with goals to induce ovulation, reduce androgen levels, and mitigate long-term health risks like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Clomiphene citrate (CC) was the first-line treatment for ovulation induction due to its efficacy and safety. For CC-resistant patients, alternatives included gonadotrophin therapy and laparoscopic ovarian diathermy, with recombinant FSH (rFSH) showing promise for its effectiveness. GnRH-agonists were used to improve cycle fecundity. Metformin and cabergoline were under investigation for their potential benefits. Hirsutism, a symptom of hyperandrogenemia in PCOS, was treated with androgen suppression drugs, including oral contraceptives and insulin-sensitizing agents. Weight reduction and exercise were also recommended to improve menstrual disturbances, infertility, and insulin resistance.
