Annual Advancements in Medicine Section
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Hormone replacement therapy can help provide relief during menopause.
Understanding Menopause
Menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle and is often accompanied by physical and emotional symptoms. Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, irritability, and depression. The average age of menopause in the United States is 51, but many women begin experiencing symptoms during perimenopause, which can occur up to 10 years earlier.
New Solutions
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves taking prescribed doses of hormones to treat menopausal symptoms. While the safety of HRT has historically been debated due to reports from the Women’s Health Initiative study released in 2002, newer studies reveal that the benefits of these treatments outweigh the risks for most women. The most updated guideline is for women to start hormone replacement therapy within 10 years of their last period or before the age of 60.
According to the North American Menopause Society, HRT “is associated with fewer than two harmful events per 1,000 women per year,” which translates to less than 0.2%. The route of hormone therapy has a significant impact on the safety of these medications, with topical estradiol and testosterone as well as oral micronized progesterone among the most favorable safety profiles.
What to Expect
While there are a variety of ways to deliver hormone therapy, the latest research indicates that the preferred routes of estrogen are a topical patch, gel or spray, or a vaginal ring. Additionally, there are many benefits to vaginal estrogen, which is often used in addition to a woman’s systemic hormone regimen. It will take eight to 12 weeks to see the full benefits of HRT, and there is no longer a limit as to how long a woman can take hormone therapy as long as she is benefiting and experiencing no contraindications.
Benefits to Patients
Successful treatment using HRT can resolve vasomotor symptoms and improve sleep quality, sexual function, and emotional well-being. It also offers additional benefits such as preserving bone density and cognitive function. If you need help managing peri/menopausal symptoms, meet with your healthcare provider to discuss whether HRT or a non-hormonal treatment is the best option for you.
