HRT and it`s benefits

Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) prescribing practices have evolved over the last few decades guided by the changing understanding of the treatment’s risks and benefits.

 Since the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial results in 2002, including post-intervention analysis and cumulative 18-year follow up, it has become clear that the risks of HT are low for healthy women less than age 60 or within ten years from menopause.

For those who are experiencing bothersome vasomotor symptoms, the benefits are likely to outweigh the risks in view of HT’s efficacy for symptom management. HT also has a role in preventing osteoporosis in appropriate candidates for treatment.

A comprehensive overview of the types, routes, and formulations of currently available HT, as well as HT’s benefits and risks by outcomes of interest are provided to facilitate clinical decision of Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) has changed over the years as doctors have learned more about its risks and benefits. Before 2002, HT was widely considered safe and helpful for easing menopause symptoms like hot flashes and also for preventing some diseases, including heart problems.

However, a big study called the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) in 2002 found some surprising risks, such as a higher chance of breast cancer and heart disease in certain women taking hormones. This made many women stop taking HT, and many doctors stopped prescribing it.

Later, they found that these risks were mostly for women who started HT at age 60 or later, or more than 10 years after menopause. For younger women, starting HT closer to the onset of menopause seemed safer. Others studies confirmed that HT could be safe when started early.

Menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats are quite common, affecting 70-80% of women. Hormone therapy is the most effective way to treat these symptoms and can also help with bone health and certain other menopause-related issues.

Medical organizations now recommend starting HT for women who have troublesome symptoms, are within 10 years of menopause, and are younger than 60, provided they don’t have health issues that would make HT unsafe (like certain types of cancer or heart disease

Doctors are encouraged to personalize HT treatments based on each woman's specific needs, regularly checking and adjusting the treatment as necessary. The aim is to provide a practical guide for healthcare providers on the different types of hormone therapy