September is National Menopause Awareness Month
NHLBI Offers comprehensive Guidance for Women on
Understanding
Menopausal Hormone Therapy
Women facing decisions about menopause and hormone therapy can
find comprehensive information in a new booklet from the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). "Facts About Menopausal
Hormone Therapy" provides updated information on the hormone
trials of NHLBI's Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and summarizes
the risks and benefits of hormone treatment.
The long-term WHI hormone studies evaluated the effects of menopausal
hormone therapy on many health issues facing women, including heart
disease, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and osteoporosis. Still
more information was gained about quality of life issues and cognition.
In 2002, the WHI estrogen-plus-progestin study was stopped because
of an increased risk of breast cancer and because, overall, risks
from use of the hormones outweighed the benefits. The combination
therapy increased the risk for heart attack, stroke, and blood
clots. The hormone treatment also reduced the risk for hip and
other fractures, and colorectal cancer. Two years later, the WHI
estrogen-alone study was halted because of an increased risk of
stroke and no significant effect on the risk of heart disease.
Estrogen-alone also increased the risk for venous thrombosis (blood
clots deep in a vein). Like the combination therapy, estrogen-alone
reduced the risk for hip and other fractures.
The new booklet describes these research findings in detail and
describes the current guidance on the use of menopausal hormone
therapy. New study findings on the effects of combination therapy
on cognition and urinary incontinence are also included.
"For women with menopause symptoms, making personal, informed
decisions about hormone therapy can be challenging and often confusing.
We're
providing an in-depth resource to help women understand the issues
and discuss them with their health care providers, "said
NHLBI Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D.
In addition to a detailed description of WHI and other research
findings on hormone therapy, the booklet addresses alternatives
to hormone therapies that can alleviate menopause symptoms, provides
a check-list for discussing hormone therapy with a physician,
and a comprehensive list of health screenings that all women
of menopausal
age should be including in their health regimens.
"Facts
About Menopausal Hormone Therapy" can be downloaded
free of charge at http://emall.nhlbihin.net/product2.asp?source=&sku=05-5200.
Printed copies can be ordered online or by phone through the
NHLBI Health Information Center, 301-592-8573 or 240-629-3255
(TTY).
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