Category

• Gonadotropin inhibitor
• gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog

Description

Histrelin (his-TREL-in) is a hormone similar to one normally released from the hypothalamus gland in the brain. Histrelin is used in the treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP), a condition that causes early puberty in boys (before 9.5 years of age) and in girls (before 8 years of age). Histrelin works by decreasing the amount of estrogen and testosterone in the blood.

When given regularly to boys and girls, this medicine helps to delay early puberty, slowing down the development of breasts in girls and the development of genital areas in boys and girls. This medicine delays puberty in a child only as long as the child continues to receive it.

Suppressing estrogen can cause thinning of the bones or slowing of their growth. Slowing the growth of bones is a positive effect in girls and boys whose bones grow too fast when puberty begins too early. Boys and girls may benefit by adding inches to their adult height when histrelin helps their bones grow at the proper and expected rate for children.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form(s):

Parenteral
• Injection (U.S.)

Brand Names

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.—

• Supprelin

† Not commercially available in Canada.