In our experience of treating menopausal women, we recognize the wide range of benefits associated with use of hormone therapy (HT). It is unfortunate that the benefits of HT on health and health expectancy in menopausal women were overshadowed by misinformation extrapolated from women mainly unsuited to receive HT. That time has passed, however, and HT is currently accepted as an effective and safe option for healthy symptomatic women younger than 60 years of age or within 10 years of onset of menopause who have no contraindications/cautions for its use.
This article provides a brief historical perspective of events that led to the backlash against hormone therapy, explores the current position of guideline groups, and provides practical recommendations to guide first-line management of symptomatic menopausal women. It is hoped that the practical points presented in this article can serve to guide physicians in the first-line treatment of women with menopausal symptoms.
This article provides a brief historical perspective of events that led to the backlash against hormone therapy, explores the current position of guideline groups, and provides practical recommendations to guide first-line management of symptomatic menopausal women. It is hoped that the practical points presented in this article can serve to guide physicians in the first-line treatment of women with menopausal symptoms.