Elagolix as a Novel Treatment for Endometriosis-Related Pain

Endometriosis, which is the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus, is estimated to affect up to 10% of reproductive-age women. Symptoms associated with endometriosis include dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and dyspareunia. In July 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved elagolix (Orilissa, AbbVie, North Chicago, IL) as an oral treatment for endometriosis-related pain. This medication is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonist that works by suppressing levels of hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. This helps decrease inflammation and the proliferation of endometrial tissue. In this column, I provide an overview of elagolix and discuss contraindications, adverse effects, and practice implications for nurses who work with women affected by endometriosis.