Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding Treatment & Management

  • Author: Amir Estephan, MD; Chief Editor: Pamela L Dyne, MD   more...
 
Updated: Feb 1, 2010
 

Emergency Department Care

  • Hemodynamically unstable patients with uncontrolled bleeding and signs of significant blood loss should have aggressive resuscitation with saline and blood as with other types of hemorrhagic shock.
    • Evaluate ABCs and address the priorities.
    • Initiate 2 large-bore intravenous lines (IVs), oxygen, and cardiac monitor.
    • If bleeding is profuse and the patient is unresponsive to initial fluid management, consider administration of IV conjugated estrogen (Premarin) 25 mg IV every 4-6 hours until the bleeding stops.
    • In women with severe, persistent uterine bleeding, an immediate dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure may be necessary.
  • Combination oral contraceptive pills may be used in women who are not pregnant and have no anatomic abnormalities. An oral contraceptive with 35 mcg of ethinyl estradiol can be taken twice a day until the bleeding stops for up to 7 days, at which time the dose is decreased to once a day until the pack is completed. They provide the additional benefits of reducing dysmenorrhea and providing contraception. Side effects include nausea and vomiting.[3]
  • Progesterone alone can be used to stabilize an immature endometrium. It is usually successful in the treatment of women with anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) because these women have unopposed estrogen stimulation. Medroxyprogesterone acetate 10 mg is taken orally once daily for 10 days, followed by withdrawal bleeding 3-5 days after completion of the course. Currently, there is not enough evidence comparing the effect of either progesterone alone or in combination with estrogens for the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding.[7]
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are generally effective for the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding and dysmenorrhea. NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase in the arachidonic acid cascade, thus inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis and increasing thromboxane A2 levels. This leads to vasoconstriction and increased platelet aggregation. These medications may reduce blood loss by 20-50%. NSAIDs are most effective if used with the onset of menses or just prior to its onset and continued throughout its duration.
  • Danazol creates a hypoestrogenic and hyperandrogenic environment, which induces endometrial atrophy resulting in reduced menstrual loss. Side effects include musculoskeletal pain, breast atrophy, hirsutism, weight gain, oily skin, and acne. Because of the significant androgenic side effects, this drug is usually reserved as a second-line treatment for short-term use prior to surgery.
  • Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists may be helpful for short-term use in inducing amenorrhea and allowing women to rebuild their red blood cell mass. They produce a profound hypoestrogenic state similar to menopause. Side effects include menopausal symptoms and bone loss with long-term use.
  • Tranexamic acid is an antifibrinolytic drug that exerts its effects by reversibly inhibiting plasminogen. It diminishes fibrinolytic activity within endometrial vessels to prevent bleeding. It has been shown effective in reducing bleeding in up to half of women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Tranexamic acid is not approved for the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding in the United States.[6]
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Consultations

  • Seek an emergency gynecologic consultation for patients requiring hemodynamic stabilization. If parenteral therapy does not completely arrest vaginal bleeding in the hemodynamically unstable patient, an emergency D&C may be warranted.
  • Consultation with or urgent referral to a gynecologist for surgical treatment may be necessary for patients who do not desire fertility and in whom medical therapy fails. Both endometrial ablation and hysterectomy are effective treatments in women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding with comparable patient satisfaction rates.[8]
    • Endometrial ablation may be performed using laser, electrocautery, or rollerball. Amenorrhea is seen in approximately 35% of women treated, and decreased flow is seen in another 45%; although, treatment failures increase with time following the procedure due to endometrial regeneration. A substantial number of patients receiving endometrial ablation require reoperation (30% by 48 months).
    • Hysterectomy is the most effective treatment for bleeding. However, it is associated with more frequent and severe adverse events compared with either conservative medical or ablation procedures. Operating time, hospitalization, recovery times, and costs are also greater. Hence, hysterectomy is reserved for selected patient populations.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Amir Estephan, MD  Resident Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn

Amir Estephan, MD, is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Emergency Medicine Residents Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Richard H Sinert, DO  Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Research Director, State University of New York College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital Center

Richard H Sinert, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Steven A Conrad, MD, PhD  Chief, Department of Emergency Medicine; Chief, Multidisciplinary Critical Care Service, Professor, Department of Emergency and Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

Steven A Conrad, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Critical Care Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians, International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, Louisiana State Medical Society, Shock Society, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Society of Critical Care Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Mark Zwanger, MD, MBA  Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

Mark Zwanger, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Pfizer Salary Employment

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Pamela L Dyne, MD  Professor of Clinical Medicine/Emergency Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center

Pamela L Dyne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

  1. Frick KD, Clark MA, Steinwachs DM, et al. Financial and quality-of-life burden of dysfunctional uterine bleeding among women agreeing to obtain surgical treatment. Womens Health Issues. Jan-Feb 2009;19(1):70-8. [Medline].

  2. Schorge JO, Schaffer JI, Halvorson LM, Hoffman BL, Bradshaw KD, Cunningham FG. Abnormal uterine bleeding. In: Williams Gynecology. McGraw-Hill; 2008:Chap 8.

  3. Tibbles CD. Selected gynecologic disorders. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, Adams JG. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. Vol 1. 7th ed. Mosby (Elsevier); 2009:Chap 98.

  4. Pitkin J. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding. BMJ. May 26 2007;334(7603):1110-1. [Medline].

  5. [Guideline] James AH, Kouides PA, Abdul-Kadir R, et al. Von Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders in women: consensus on diagnosis and management from an international expert panel. Am J Obstet Gynecol. Jul 2009;201(1):12.e1-8. [Medline].

  6. Casablanca Y. Management of dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. Jun 2008;35(2):219-34, viii. [Medline].

  7. [Best Evidence] Hickey M, Higham J, Fraser IS. Progestogens versus oestrogens and progestogens for irregular uterine bleeding associated with anovulation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Oct 17 2007;CD001895. [Medline].

  8. Dickersin K, Munro MG, Clark M, et al. Hysterectomy compared with endometrial ablation for dysfunctional uterine bleeding: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. Dec 2007;110(6):1279-89. [Medline].

 
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