PHARMACEUTICAL SAFETY OF THE USE OF COMBINED ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES (LITERATURE REVIEW)

Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are currently the most common method ofcontraception among women of the reproductive age. However, many factors must beconsidered and analyzed when prescribing these drugs to women. The assessment of thebenefit/risk ratio, i. e. the pharmacosafety of drugs, is an integral part of the analysis ofthe feasibility of prescribing combined oral contraceptives to certain patients.The purpose of the work – to carry out an analysis of literature data regarding theassessment of the pharmacological safety of the use of combined oral contraceptives.Conclusions. The analysis of literature data on the pharmacosafety of the COCs’usemade it possible to establish that the use of these drugs is directly related to the followingside effects: the development of venous thromboembolism, depression, migraine, arterialhypertension, and the development of oncopathology. It is also necessary to take intoaccount the metabolism of COCs in the woman’s body and, accordingly, the possibleinteraction with other drugs, especially when their metabolic pathways cross.