Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Yaz is the only oral contraceptive sold in the United States that contains drospirenone, a diuretic.

This makes Yaz, an oral contraceptive marketed by Bayer Healthcare, Inc., unique. However, studies have shown that drospirenone may cause an increase in potassium, which could lead to too much serum potassium, a condition known as hyperlakemia. Hyperkalemia often has no symptoms, but may occasionally present with irregular heartbeat, nausea, and slow, weak or absent pulse.

Cardiac arrest may occur at any time during the treatment of hyperkalemia, so it is recommended that emergency treatment should be administered if the potassium is very high or if severe symptoms are present, such as a change in the ECG.

Contraindications: Product information provided by Bayer advises that Yaz should not be taken if one had kidney, liver or adrenal disease, and that women taking certain cardiovascular or chronic inflammatory drugs that may also increase potassium should have their potassium level checked in the first month of taking Yaz. These may include such medications as NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Naprosyn, Aleve), Potassium sparing diuretics, Potassium supplementation, ACE inhibitors (Capoten, Vasotec, Zestril and others), Angiotensin-II receptor antagonists (Cozaar, Diovan, Avapro and others), Heparin, and Aldosterone antagonists.

More than 50 reports of Yasmin or Yaz deaths were reported to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) between the first quarter of 2004 and the third quarter of 2008. The deaths included cardiac arrests, pulmonary emboli and strokes. Hyperkalemia was also reported.