WINIMED 10 (Stanozolol) is a steroid that can be helpful in the treatment of various diseases. WINIMED 10 (Stanozolol) is used in the treatment of hereditary angioedema, which causes episodes of swelling of the face, extremities, genitals, bowel wall, and throat. WINIMED 10 (Stanozolol) may decrease the frequency and severity of such attacks.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an inherited condition characterized by recurrent episodes of non-pruritic, non-pitting, subcutaneous or submucosal swelling without the presence of urticarial lesions. Multiple areas of the body can be involved in these episodes including hands, feet, intestinal wall, genitalia, face, tongue, or larynx. This condition can be very dangerous and that is extremely important to choose the proper treatment. For example, swelling of the pharynx or larynx can be life-threatening due to asphyxia.

Usually, signs and symptoms of HAE start during childhood or puberty and persist throughout life. In general, attacks start with a prodromal sensation of tingling that can be accompanied by a non-pruritic wavy rash followed by slowly progressive swelling that gradually subsides over 48 to 72 hours. More than half of HAE patients have at least 1 oropharyngeal attack during their life.

There are different treatment types of HAE: long–term prophylaxis, short–term prophylaxis, and the treatment of acute attacks. The main long–term goal is to minimize the frequency and severity of angioedema episodes, as being reported, patients suffering from HAE develop 1 to 2 swelling attacks per month on average.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved C1 inhibitor replacement therapy in 2008, prophylactic or long–term treatment of HAE relied on the use of synthetic 17-α–alkylated androgens: danazol and stanozolol. Long-term prophylaxis should be considered in patients with a history of life-threatening attacks or serious attacks more than once every 3 months.

In double-blind studies, androgens were associated with an increase in the level of C1 inhibitor and a reduction in the number of angioedema attacks. Short-term studies of patients treated with attenuated androgens demonstrated no side effects. However, the side-effect frequencies in patients receiving long-term treatment are still in question. The current study was made to assess the frequencies of various side effects of the attenuated androgen Stanozolol in a population of patients with hereditary angioedema treated for 20 to 40 years. Data on occurred side effects in patients who continued Stanozolol therapy since 1987 were obtained using questionnaire. All patients were evaluated by physical examination, biochemical assays of hepatic function, serum lipids, prostate-specific antigen, and liver ultrasound.

The minimal initial effective daily dosage of WINIMED 10 (Stanozolol) was 0.5 to 2.0 mg, although most patients achieved symptomatic control and decreased the dose and frequency as the frequency of attacks decreased. Treatment-related symptoms developed in 10 of 21 patients. Interruption in WINIMED 10 (Stanozolol) therapy wasn't required because symptoms subsided with a reduction in the WINIMED 10 (Stanozolol) dosage. Side effects included hirsutism, weight gain, menstrual irregularities or postmenopausal bleeding, acne, and mood changes. Liver enzyme assays revealed no persistent abnormalities. Although liver ultrasounds in 8 patients revealed 3 abnormalities deemed unrelated to therapy. Five patients had a reduced high-density lipoprotein, and 2 patients had elevated triglycerides.

The study has shown thatWINIMED 10 (Stanozolol) is a safe and effective drug for the long-term management of hereditary angioedema. During the long-term treatment, patients should be closely supervised with routine clinical, biochemical, and radiologic assessments.