Spirix
Spironolactone, sold under the brand name Aldactone among others, is a diuretic medication primarily used to treat fluid build-up due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease. It is also used in the treatment of high blood pressure, and low blood potassium that does not improve with supplementation, early puberty in boys, acne and excessive hair growth in women. It can also be used to block the effects of testosterone in transgender women and nonbinary people undergoing feminizing hormone replacement therapy. Spironolactone is usually available in tablets, taken by mouth, though topical forms are also available.
Common side effects include electrolyte abnormalities, particularly high blood potassium, nausea, vomiting, headache, rashes, and a decreased desire for sex. In those with liver or kidney problems, extra care should be taken. Spironolactone has not been well studied in pregnancy and should not be used to treat high blood pressure of pregnancy. It is also a steroid that blocks the effects of the hormones aldosterone and, to a lesser degree, testosterone, causing some estrogen-like effects. Spironolactone belongs to a class of medications known as potassium-sparing diuretics.
Spironolactone was discovered in 1957, and was introduced in 1959. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It is available as a generic medication. In 2022, it was the 52nd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 12 million prescriptions. Spironolactone has a history of use in the trans community. Its use continues despite the rise of various accessible alternatives such as bicalutamide and cyproterone acetate with more precise action and less side effects.
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