Cost-effective therapy in patients with idiopathic hirsutism

Hirsutism affects 10% of women. Hirsute women with normal circulating androgen levels and normal ovarian function (i.e., regular and ovulatory menstrual cycles) are defined as having idiopathic hirsutism, which may affect more than 20% of all hirsute women. In the treatment of idiopathic hirsutism, different medical therapies, alone or in combination, have been reported. The drugs currently available are oral contraceptives, cyproterone acetate androgen receptors blockers (i.e., spironolactone and flutamide), 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (e.g., finasteride [Proscar, Aventis]) and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogs. After 1 year of treatment, each drug may improve hirsutism and reduce the Ferriman-Gallwey score by 35-40%. This review analyses the causes of hirsutism and provides information on each therapy and the cost-effective results in patients with idiopathic hirsutism.