Aida

Aida is a combined birth control pill containing drospirenone and ethinylestradiol. It is a generic of the brand-name pill Yasmin and contains the identical active ingredients at the same dosage.

The progestin drospirenone is characterized by its antiandrogenic and antimineralocorticoid effects. Aida is indicated for contraception.

When used correctly, the Pearl Index is 0.1 to 0.9.

Aida prevents pregnancy through several mechanisms:

Inhibition of ovulation: Drospirenone and ethinylestradiol suppress ovulation by inhibiting the gonadotropins FSH and LH.

Cervical mucus: The mucus in the cervix becomes thicker.

Other properties of drospirenone: Drospirenone also has antiandrogenic and mild antimineralocorticoid properties.

Aida is intended for contraception in women after their first menstrual period (menarche) and before menopause.

Not suitable if there is an increased risk of thrombosis.

• 3 mg drospirenone
• 0.03 mg ethinylestradiol
• 21 tablets per blister pack
• Monophasic preparation

• One tablet daily at the same time
• Take for 21 days, then a 7-day break
• Start a new blister pack after the break
• Start: On the 1st day of menstruation

Aida must not be taken in cases of:

• Thromboses or risk of thrombosis
• Impaired kidney function (drospirenone can increase potassium)
• Liver disease
• Hormone-dependent tumors
• Pregnancy
• Smoking over the age of 35

Common:

• Headache
• Breast tenderness
• Mood swings
• Nausea

Rare:

• Thromboses (the risk of blood clots in the veins can be up to twice as high as with pills containing levonorgestrel, norgestimate or norethisterone and is highest in the first year of use)
• Hyperkalemia (elevated potassium level)

Medicines that can weaken the contraceptive effect:

• e.g. barbiturates, bosentan, carbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone, rifampicin, the HIV medicines ritonavir, nevirapine and efavirenz, and possibly also felbamate, griseofulvin, oxcarbazepine, topiramate and products containing St John's wort
• These medicines can lead to breakthrough bleeding and contraceptive failure. With short-term treatment, you also need a barrier method (e.g. a condom) during the entire treatment and for up to 28 days afterwards. If the medicine still has to be taken when a blister pack is used up, start the next blister pack straight away without the usual break. With longer-term treatment, a different reliable, non-hormonal contraceptive method is recommended.

Hepatitis C medicines:

• Aida must not be used together with medicines containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir or sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir. Before starting such treatment, you must switch to a different contraceptive method. Aida can be taken again two weeks after the end of treatment.

Other interactions:

• Many HIV/HCV protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors can increase or decrease hormone levels.
• Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. ketoconazole) can increase hormone levels.
• Aida can change the levels of other medicines, e.g. increase them (ciclosporin, theophylline, tizanidine) or decrease them (lamotrigine).
• If you take aldosterone antagonists or potassium-sparing diuretics at the same time, your potassium level should be checked during the first cycle of use.