Study, 1973
Do opipramol and chlorthalidone help treat PMS?
Yes, both treatments showed improvement in PMS symptoms. The combination of opipramol and chlorthalidone worked better than opipramol alone, particularly for breast swelling and ankle swelling.
What they did
33 women under age 38 with PMS received either opipramol alone (5 women) or a combination of opipramol and chlorthalidone (28 women) over three menstrual cycles.
What they found
By the third cycle, opipramol alone improved symptoms by 47.92%. The combination improved symptoms by 59.2%. The combination was especially helpful for breast swelling (90%), breast pain (88.8%), ankle swelling (83.3%), decreased urination (64.2%), and emotional changes (59.2%). Overall, 28 women showed moderate or much improvement by the end of the third cycle.
What it means for you
Both medications appear to help PMS symptoms, with better results from combining them. The effect improved over three months of treatment. Breast and water-retention symptoms respond particularly well. The results need to be confirmed in larger studies with comparison groups.
33
women studied
59.2%
improvement with combination by cycle 3
90%
improvement in breast swelling with combination
About the study
- Original title
- Opipramol and Chlorthalidone in the Treatment of Premenstrual Tension
- Authors
- G. Ya. Kagan, George Beaumont
- Journal
- Journal of International Medical Research
- Year
- 1973
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- Opipramol alone or opipramol combined with chlorthalidone for three menstrual cycles
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1177/030006057300100306
Topics
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