What medications are effective for treating symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?

Abstract

Vitamin B6 (50-100 mg/d) and elemental calcium (1200 mg/d) are safe, inexpensive, and moderately effective(grade of recommendation: B). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and some other antidepressants are more effective, but are also more costly and more likely to cause side effects or treatment dropout (grade of recommendation: A). Antidepressant dosing only during the luteal phase may be effective and more tolerable (grade of recommendation: B). Alprazolam (generally 0.25-0.5 mg 3 times a day during luteal phase) may be effective for treating mood or anxiety symptoms (grade of recommendation: B). Hormonal therapies (oral contraceptives, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, danazol, estrogen) lack convincing evidence of efficacy and cause many side effects; progesterone is no more beneficial than placebo (grade of recommendation: B). There is no convincing evidence of benefit from diuretics, magnesium, beta-blockers, or lithium (grade of recommendation: C).