Highly effective treatment of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes & night sweats) associated with the menopause. Women have also reported improvements in sleep as a result of reduced vasomotor symptoms with this effective treatment.
Veoza Information
Your clinician may have spoken to you about Veoza, the new non-hormonal treatment of hot flsuhes and night sweats with additional benefits to sleep disturbance. Here’s some information about Veoza.
What does Veoza help with and how does it work?
Hot flushes and night sweats are the most common symptoms of menopause, affecting around 80% of women at some point during the transition. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment for many, it is not suitable for everyone, either due to medical advice or personal preference.
Veoza offers an alternative. This new, non-hormonal medication is designed to manage moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats, associated with menopause.
The key component of Veoza is fezolinetant, a neurokinin 3 antagonist. It works by blocking neurokinin 3 receptors in the brain, which are crucial in regulating body temperature, thereby addressing the root cause of hot flushes. Consequently, Veoza may be an option for those who cannot or choose not to use HRT. However, it is important to note that Veoza has not been studied in women with breast or other cancers. Consulting with a menopause specialist is crucial to determine if Veoza is a suitable choice.
What’s the dosage and how do I take it?Â
Veoza comes in a tablet form containing 45mg of fezolinetant. The dose is 45mg, one tablet, daily.
How effective is it?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is highly effective for most women in managing hot flushes and night sweats, cutting the frequency and intensity of symptoms by up to 90%. A significant clinical trial of fezolinetant, published in March 2023, revealed that after 12 weeks of use, it reduced the frequency of hot flushes by about 60% in women with moderate or severe symptoms, compared to a 45% reduction in those who received a placebo.
When is Veoza not recommended?
Veoza has not been studied in women over the age of 65.
Women with moderate to severe liver disease, as well as those with severe kidney disease (eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m²), should not take Veoza.
Veoza is also not recommended for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, if you are allergic to any of its ingredients, or if you are taking medications that inhibit CYP1A2, an enzyme crucial for metabolizing many drugs.
Medications that may interact with Veoza and should not be taken concurrently include contraceptives containing ethinyl oestradiol, mexiletine, enoxacin, ciprofloxacin antibiotics, methoxsalen, vemurafenib, acyclovir, allopurinol, cimetidine, peginterferon alpha, piperine, zileuton, and fluvoxamine.
Veoza has not been studied in women undergoing cancer treatment for estrogen-dependent cancers, with a history of breast cancer, or with estrogen-dependent malignancies. Therefore, the manufacturer recommends avoiding Veoza in these situations.
Additionally, Veoza has not been studied in women taking HRT who still experience hot flushes, so it is recommended to avoid Veoza if you are currently on HRT and wish to continue it.
There is no data on the use of Veoza in women with epilepsy, so its impact on seizure risk or frequency is unknown. Deciding whether to use Veoza should weigh the potential benefits against the uncertainty regarding its effects on epilepsy.
Are there any risks to taking Veoza?
Studies have indicated that women taking Veoza may experience abnormal liver function blood tests. However, liver function typically returns to normal once Veoza is discontinued. There are currently no UK guidelines for liver function monitoring.
However, at The Menopause Specialists Clinics we recommend checking liver function before starting Veoza and again three months after beginning treatment. Further liver function testing will be considered.
Are there any side effects?
When Veoza was studied, the most common side effects included insomnia, diarrhoea, headache and abdominal pain, and some experienced abnormal liver function blood tests also. You should contact your prescribing doctor if you experience nausea, vomiting, yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice), pain in the right upper abdomen which may be signs of liver disease.
Is Veoza available in the UK and what does it cost?
Veoza is now available privately in the UK. It is currently being reviewed by NICE for use under the NHS
If you would like to discuss whether Veoza might be right for you, please book an appointment .
Kommentare