Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an appropriate choice for some, but not all, women. On the benefit side, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) relieves hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and it may improve sleep, mood, and concentration. But there are also risks with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including higher rates of breast cancer, stroke, blood clots in the legs and lungs, and (for older women) coronary heart disease. Moderate to severe symptoms, which affect about one in five newly menopausal women, are the only compelling reason to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Evidence indicates that a woman’s age and time since menopause (on average at the age of 51 in the US), along with her personal health status, influence the risk-benefit balance. The best candidate for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a younger, recently menopausal woman, one whose final menstrual period occurred less than five years earlier, who isn’t at high risk of heart disease, stroke, or blood clots.
To minimize risks, take the lowest dose of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) needed to make your hot flashes or night sweats tolerable. Low-dose preparations often provide relief comparable to standard-dose preparations. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is best used for only 2-3 years and generally no more than 5 years. Hot flashes and night sweats often peak in the first few years after the final menstrual period and then taper off, so most women won’t need hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for long-term relief.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not the only way to cool hot flashes. Layered clothing, portable fans, exercise, and paced respiration or other relaxation techniques can be very helpful, as can avoiding cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods. Alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are soy, some botanicals, certain antidepressants, and the antiseizure medication gabapentin may be beneficial for some women. All women should try at least some of these strategies before considering hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has long been the medical standard, however, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is now questionable to side effects.
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