Frequently Asked Questions for HRT Treatment

 

Frequently Asked Questions for HRT Treatment

To dispel false myths and expand the information about HRT, we answering eight key questions:

Can we say that HRT brings more benefits than risks to treat menopause? Yes, it is an excellent remedy to prevent and alleviate the symptoms associated with this stage and improve the quality of life of women.

Can it be useful for any woman or are there cases where it is not suitable? Clinical follow-up studies have been conducted in healthy women between the ages of 50 and 79 for more than 10 years, confirming that 90% can benefit from this treatment and that it can also help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and bone fractures in old age. Only 10% do not respond well or are cases in which it is not indicated.

Why then is it not consistently recommended? Because menopause presents and manifests itself differently in each woman, and each case must be studied and well-known about the clinical history, family history and personal circumstances of the patients to decide if it can be useful when to start, what hormonal dose is correct at all times and when it is convenient to modify it or abandon therapy.

It is said to be more effective if applied in the early years, is this true? When to start depends on each case. But it should always be done before 10 years have passed since the last period. The secret to the success of hormonal therapy is to offer individualized treatment and to follow up to adapt it according to the response and evolution of each woman during this stage.

Is it true that it can increase the risk of some types of cancer and other health problems? There are studies that linked its follow-up to an increased risk of some types of cancer and other health problems, which raised the alarm, but they were not conclusive. Moreover, it has been proven that its continuous administration could reduce the risk of colon cancer and in women without a uterus who are administered only estrogens, they could have a reduction in the risk of breast cancer.

Why, then, are so few women using it? Because there is probably a lack of specialists and specific units that offer specialized care to women going through this stage, and more awareness and proactivity on the part of family doctors and gynaecologists to advise and accompany their patients during this process. In fact, statistics indicate that between 60-80% of gynaecologists and women of gynaecologists who are experts in menopause use HRT, compared to 5% of their patients.

What kinds of hormones are administered? Currently, and through a simple blood test, we can find out what is the level of the different hormones and the ovarian reserve of a woman and, from there, determine the combination and the dose that may be most beneficial in each case. HRT usually combines estrogens and progesterone or derivatives. Although in some cases only estrogens are administered (in women without a uterus).

What challenges still need to be overcome to improve treatment? There are many open lines of research that try to find out how the hormonal decline influences metabolism and what its long-term effects are because the current objective is not only to reinforce prevention and alleviate the symptoms of menopause but to guarantee a higher quality of life. Keep in mind that women in their 50s still have many years to live. And what counts is not so much to continue extending their life expectancy, but to ensure that they can enjoy them in the best conditions.