HT or HRT, therapy is a common medical treatment that can relieve the symptoms of menopause. Sometimes used to relieve the symptoms of aging in men. Although it may be useful, hormone therapy also comes with many risks to health. For this reason, each person must discuss the decision to use hormone therapy with your health care provider.
What is hormone replacement therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment that consists of medications prescribed to women by a family physician. The drug is designed to counteract the effects of menopause. These drugs contain female hormones such as estrogen and progestin, which is an artificial version of natural progesterone. Hormone therapy may relieve many symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and vaginal symptoms. Although normally used to treat women, a form of hormonal therapy for men is also available to address low levels of testosterone.
History of the treatment
Hormone therapy has existed since the 1930s, when estrogen was used to treat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. In the 1960s, doctors found more reasons to use hormone replacement therapy and family doctors began to prescribe more often. Over the next ten years, doctors used hormone therapy to treat everything from flushing to depression. It was approved by the FDA to treat menopause at the beginning. In the 1980s was also approved to treat the loss of bone density. In 2002, it became clear that hormone therapy may cause serious health problems and the frequency of the prescription lowered considerably.
Benefits for hormone replacement
There is little benefit to the use of hormone replacement therapy in the short term. Women appear to have protection against the loss of bone density, cancer and heart disease. Studies have shown that this reduces the possibility of fractures and broken bones. The decline in heart disease occurs when starts at the beginning of menopause hormone therapy. Of course, the benefits also include reduction in menopausal symptoms such as mood swings and problems sleeping, as well.
Shortcomings of the therapy
There are a number of side effects which have diminished the use of hormone therapy medicines by family physicians in the last ten years. Taking estrogen drugs without progestin increases the risk of uterine cancer. Long-term hormone therapy use linked to abnormal mammograms, an increased risk of blood clots, and a greater chance of certain types of cancer. For some, the benefits may outweigh the risks of hormone therapy, although family physicians recommended normally only when they are too difficult to live with menopause symptoms.
Hormone replacement therapy has decreased in the last ten years, although it is still an effective treatment for some individuals. Hormone replacement therapy may reduce menopause symptoms and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Even so, side effects and health risks associated with the process of make it necessary to carefully consider therapy before choosing for long-term treatment.
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