GnRH agonists
- Initial stimulation → later receptor downregulation
- Suppress gonadal sex-hormone production
- Prostate cancer, endometriosis, fibroids, puberty
- Early testosterone flare matters in prostate CA
- Hot flashes + bone loss with prolonged use
- Add-back therapy can reduce hypoestrogenic AEs
- Depot formulations are common
Class at a glance
- Initial stimulation → later receptor downregulation
Practical pearls
- Suppress gonadal sex-hormone production
Clinical role
- Prostate cancer, endometriosis, fibroids, puberty
- Early testosterone flare matters in prostate CA
Other clinical roles
- Hot flashes + bone loss with prolonged use
- Add-back therapy can reduce hypoestrogenic AEs
- Depot formulations are common
Self-check
- How does GnRH agonists work?
Initial stimulation → later receptor downregulation. - What early effect of GnRH agonists matters in prostate cancer?
Testosterone flare.
Drugs in this class (2)
All drug classes · Open GnRH agonists in the interactive console ↗