• hormone therapy

    In Brief: Hormone Therapy for Midlife Women, No Harm but No Benefit for Cognitive Functioning

    Early observational studies suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT)  may improve cognitive functioning in postmenopausal women; however, larger studies, including the Women’s Health Initiative, have shown that estrogen replacement therapy started in postmenopausal women (65 [...]

    Hormone Replacement Therapy: Some Risk But No Impact on Mortality

    While there are concerns regarding the risks associated with prolonged use of hormone replacement, an increasing number of studies suggest that the risk may be relatively low in certain settings.  A study presented this week at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting which analyzed data from 43 randomized clinical trials suggests that menopausal hormone-replacement therapy does not appear to affect mortality either positively or negatively.

    FDA Approves New Hormonal Therapy for Menopausal Symptoms

    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a novel estrogen-based drug for women for the treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms and osteoporosis associated with menopause.  Duavee (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals) is a once-a-day tablet containing a combination of conjugated estrogens and bazedoxifene, an estrogen agonist/antagonist.

    Does Estrogen Affect Antidepressant Efficacy? Data from the STAR*D Study

    We previously reported on studies suggesting estrogen may be helpful for the treatment of depression in peri- and post-menopausal women, either alone or in combination with an antidepressant.  In addition, other studies have suggested that older, postmenopausal women may respond more poorly to antidepressants than premenopausal women. Two recent studies attempt to better understand the impact of reproductive hormones on clinical presentation and treatment response of depression in women.

    Weight Loss and a Low-Fat Diet Help to Reduce Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women

    Various studies have shown that women with a higher body mass index (BMI) or a higher percent of body fat have more frequent or more severe menopausal symptoms.  In a recent study, researchers evaluated the impact of a low-fat diet on vasomotor symptoms in a group of 17,473 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79.

    New Research from the CWMH: Surgically Induced Menopause No Worse than Natural in Terms of Risk for Depression, Anxiety

    Each year about 600,000 women in the United States undergo a hysterectomy.  Somewhere between 55% and 80% of these women who also have their ovaries removed along with the uterus—a procedure known as oophorectomy.  After the removal of the ovaries, menopause follows immediately and is associated with a constellation of symptoms including hot flashes and insomnia, as well as depression and anxiety. 

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