Drug lookup
Drug reference

conjugated equine estrogens

Estrogen Preparation · Sex Hormone

Estrogen PreparationSex Hormone
CDSCO approved
EXCRETION
not curated
INTERACTIONS
none in our sources
PREGNANCY
not curated

Mechanism

Not yet extracted

Indications

menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)"add-back" therapy (with GnRH agonists for endometriosis)

Dosing

Adult
0.625 mg/day (for MHT); 0.625–1.25 mg (for "add-back" therapy with GnRH agonists)

Pharmacokinetics

Metabolism
hydrolyzed by enzymes in the lower gut to remove charged sulfate groups, allowing absorption

Contraindications

  • thromboembolic disease
  • cerebrovascular disease
  • myocardial infarction
  • coronary artery disease
  • congenital hyperlipidemia
  • known or suspected carcinoma of the breast
  • carcinoma of the female reproductive tract
  • abnormal undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
  • known or suspected pregnancy
  • liver tumors
  • impaired liver function
  • women more than 35 years of age who smoke heavily

Side effects

Serious
  • increased risk of breast cancer (especially when combined with progestin)
  • increased risk of thromboembolic disease

Ask House about conjugated equine estrogens

Continue into a citation-backed clinical answer with the drug context already attached.

Sources: Goodman & Gilman 14e·Verified: 2026-05-10 · House clinical team