Physical, Pathological, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Aspects of Endometriosis in Pharmaceutical Attendance: A Review

Abstract

Endometriosis is a gynecopathology of females during the reproduction stage characterized by functional endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Its various symptoms include pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, urinary and infertility. Diagnosis occurs after analysis of the patient’s clinical record and confirmed by laboratory tests, such as dosage of blood glycoprotein CA-125, associated with image exams, such as endovaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance. Treatment may be pharmacological, non-pharmacological and surgical, for the relief of complaints and symptoms and the recovery of fertility. All patients should undergo multiprofessional treatment for pain relief, improvement of life quality and mainly self-esteem. Pharmacists have an important role in initial diagnosis in which they suspect the disease through clinical signs and forward the patient to specialized medical service. Further, the pharmacist’s role comprises the follow-up of treatment to guarantee the adhesion of the patient and thus the efficiency in therapy faults. It is well known that attendance of pharmacists to people with endometriosis at all stages of the disease is still low, perhaps due to a lack of full understanding on the illness. Current analysis comprises a bibliographical review on the physio-pathological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of endometriosis so that different health professionals, especially the pharmacist, could be furnished with information sources of the illness, characterized by increase in its incidence during the last decades.