GnRH agonist
GnRH agonist
A GnRH agonist (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist) is a type of medication which affects gonadotropins and sex hormones. They are used for a variety of medical conditions including in fertility medicine, for endometriosis, prostate cancer, breast cancer, menorrhagia, uterine fibroids, and for transgender people, among other uses.
Mechanism of action[edit | edit source]
GnRH agonists work by initially stimulating the release of the gonadotropins luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland. However, with continued administration, GnRH agonists desensitize the pituitary gland to GnRH. After a transient increase, continuous administration of GnRH agonists leads to downregulation of LH and FSH levels followed by a suppression of ovarian and testicular steroid biosynthesis.
Medical uses[edit | edit source]
GnRH agonists are useful in:
- Suppression of spontaneous ovulation as part of IVF protocol for women undergoing ovarian hyperstimulation.
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Prostate cancer
- Breast cancer
- Menorrhagia
- Precocious puberty
- Some hormone-responsive cancers
- Transgender people
Side effects[edit | edit source]
Common side effects of GnRH agonists include:
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
| GnRH agonist Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
