Drospirenone for hormone replacement therapy

A pharmaceutical composition comprising as a first active ingredient an estrogen, such as estradiol or estradiol valerate, in sufficient amounts to treat disorders and symptoms associated with deficient endogenous levels of estrogen in women, and as a second active ingredient 6 beta , 7 beta ; 15 beta ; 16 beta -dimethylene-3-oxo-17 alpha -preg-4-ene-21, 17-carbolactone (drospirenone, DRSP) in sufficient amounts to protect the endometrium from the adverse effects of estrogen. The pharmaceutical composition is useful for treating peri-menopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal women, it may be used for hormone replacement therapy and may be administered as a multi-phased pharmaceutical preparation. This combination therapy may comprise continuous, sequential or interrupted administration, or combinations thereof, of DRSP and estrogen, where each of the active ingredients may be optionally administered in micronized form.