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Review highlights latest evidence on menopausal symptom treatment with hormone replacement therapy
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The most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy especially among younger women at the onset of menopause, according to a recent review published in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.
Seventy percent of women are affected with vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, for about 5 years, while 10% are affected longer.
A significant reduction of mortality and cardiovascular disease-related events and no apparent increased risk of venous thromboembolism, stroke or cancer were found after 10 years among women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The health benefits continued even 6 years after stopping HRT.
Women with premature ovarian insufficiency do not have a greater risk for breast cancer when taking HRT, compared with the general population. Among low-risk women, there is a lower risk of breast cancer among women taking HRT compared with the risk associated with obesity, moderate alcohol intake or delaying first pregnancy until age 35 years.
“Women are sometimes concerned about the increased risk of breast cancer related to HRT,” Shagaf H. Bakour, MD, FRCOG, of City Hospital in the United Kingdom, said in a press release. “However, this risk is much lower than that associated with other factors, such as obesity, alcohol consumption and later maternal age.”
Doctors and physicians can properly prescribe the correct regimen and dose after reviewing a patient’s full history. It is also advised that doctors and physicians explain expected adverse effects from HRT to their patients in order to alleviate fear and improve adherence. Most commonly the adverse effects include headaches, breast tenderness, bloating and muscle cramps.
“HRT is the most effective treatment for symptoms of the menopause, and when HRT is individually tailored, women gain maximum advantages and the risks are minimized,” Bakour said. “There are various types and regimens of HRT, and health care professionals will be able to advise on the suitability of HRT to any woman.”
Disclosure: See the full study for a complete list of the researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.
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