Alert: Second Hormone Replacement Therapy Trial Halted


March 5, 2004 -- Over the past two years, two important hormone replacement therapy trials have been stopped prematurely. The most recent trial was halted because the estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women did not show a reduction in heart disease risk. While it did show a benefit in hip fracture reduction, it also revealed a sl ight increase in risk of stroke which may outweigh the benefit to bone strength. The study did not demonstrate any increase risk of breast cancer.

This trial differs from the July, 2002 study that was halted due to an increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack and stroke. The 2002 study included post-menopausal women who had not had a hysterectomy and were taking a combination hormone replacement therapy that included estrogen and a progesterone-like medication. The current study was of women who had a hysterectomy and were taking only estrogen.

Neither study was designed to test the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy on hot flash reduction or symptom relief in women who were seeking short-term benefits from hormone replacement therapy. "If you're having symptoms from the menopause transition, you don't need to immediately stop your hormone replacement because of this study," said Dr. John Sunyecz, President of MenopauseRx . "It is advisable to learn about the study and discuss your specific risks and benefits with your health care provider, while also striving to improve your health risks." Dr. Sunyecz mentioned control of cholesterol and blood pressure, achieving smoking cessation, while maintaining a healthy weight through proper nutrition and exercise as key elements in decreasing health risks.

Symptom relief for women experiencing menopause is an important concern for both short-term and long-term health . A recent survey conducted on MenopauseRx .com of nearly 10,000 women experiencing menopause symptoms demonstrates that on average women experience 6.9 different menopause symptoms. Although hot flashes may be the most common symptom, they are definitely not the only one -- nor are they the major health concern among with women with symptoms.

Other major symptoms experienced by more than half of the women in the study included mood changes, irritability, sleep disturbance and night sweats. Lesser but still significant symptoms include increase flatulence, migraines, changes in cycle, vaginal dryness, skin changes, unwanted facial hair, sexual changes, breast pain and hair loss.

When asked specifically to rank their major health concerns (besides menopause) from a list of over twenty-five problems, the women in the study ranked depression first. Nearly 30% of the participants identified depression as their major health concern followed closely by irritability/anxiety with 27%. Both of these concerns outranked breast cancer by over two-to-one. The next most common concerns were arthritis, migraines and PMS.

The study group was comprised of 9,928 women requesting a free Menopause and Perimenopause Survival Kit from MenopauseRx .com during a five-month period in 2003. Over 85% of the participating women were 35 - 54 years old. The average age of menopause is 51, however symptoms commonly begin up to ten years prior to the cessation of the menstrual cycle.

"One thing we learned from the study is that during the beginning and at the height of menopause symptoms it may be difficult to get women to focus on broad issues like breast cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. Their everyday concerns, as a result of their symptoms, are too overwhelming " said Dr. Sunyecz. "Unless they are directly experiencing symptoms of those diseases they may not be considering them serious 'health concerns' at this time in their life."

"As physicians, if we do a better job helping women manage the symptoms of menopause, we will have a better chance of motivating them to protect their long-term health," concludes Dr. Sunyecz.

Copyright ©2004 content, MenopauseRx, Inc. The information provided by MenopauseRx, Inc. is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health-care provider. Please consult your health-care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.