Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Prevention

The CLIMARA PRO^® Patch helps prevent menopausal osteoporosis

When prescribing solely for osteoporosis, other treatments should be considered, such as calcium supplements with vitamin D and weight bearing exercises.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hips, spine and wrists.

Eighty percent of those affected by osteoporosis are women. So it's important for you to know that when you take hormone therapy for your menopausal symptoms, you are also helping protect yourself against osteoporosis. While taking estrogen may help prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis, taking calcium supplements with vitamin D along with weight bearing exercises should also be considered.

While menopause and being a woman are key risk factors for osteoporosis, other risk factors include age, family history, race and ethnicity, low body weight, being small and thin.

Hormone therapy provides only a fraction of the estrogen once produced by the ovaries. When you use the CLIMARA PRO patch to relieve menopausal symptoms, you are also helping to prevent osteoporosis.

CLIMARA PRO is the only combination, once-a-week hormone therapy patch approved for the relief of hot flashes and the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

For more helpful information click on Osteoporosis.

Important Safety Information

What is CLIMARA used for?

CLIMARA is used after menopause to:

Reduce moderate to severe hot flashes
Treat moderate to severe dryness, itching, and burning in or around the vagina
Treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogen naturally
Help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones)

When prescribing solely for vaginal dryness or osteoporosis, other treatments should be considered.

What is the most important information I should know about CLIMARA (an estrogen hormone)?

Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus.

Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb). Your healthcare provider should check any unusual vaginal bleeding to find out the cause.

Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, or dementia.

Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attack, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia.

You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with CLIMARA.

What is CLIMARA PRO used for?

CLIMARA PRO is used after menopause to:

Reduce moderate to severe hot flashes.
Help prevent osteoporosis (thin weak bones).

When prescribing solely for osteoporosis, other treatments should be considered.

What is the most important information I should know about CLIMARA PRO (combination of estrogen and progestin hormones)?

Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes.

Using estrogens and progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots.

Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent dementia

Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia.

You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with CLIMARA PRO.

Who should not use CLIMARA and CLIMARA PRO? Do not use CLIMARA PRO if you have had your uterus removed (hysterectomy).

Do not start using CLIMARA if you have unusual vaginal bleeding, currently have or have had certain cancers, had a stroke or heart attack in the past year, currently have or have had blood clots, currently have or have had liver problems, are allergic to CLIMARA or CLIMARA PRO or any of its ingredients, or think you may be pregnant.

What are the warnings of less common but serious side effects of CLIMARA or CLIMARA PRO?

Warnings of less common but serious side effects of CLIMARA or CLIMARA PRO include breast lumps, unusual vaginal bleeding, dizziness and faintness, changes in speech, severe headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, pains in your legs, changes in vision, and vomiting. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of these warning signs, or any other unusual symptom that concerns you.

What are common side effects of CLIMARA or CLIMARA PRO?

Common side effects of CLIMARA include headache, breast pain, irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting, stomach/abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea and vomiting, and hair loss.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.