Menopause Tips - Hormone Replacement Therapy And Estrogen Benefits

A medical history, a determination of bone/mineral density of the spine and hip region and a physical exam can determine risk level.

Risk factor tables also are used to assess a woman's family risk and lifestyle risk for the two medical problems.

Those at medium- or low-risk do not need to take estrogen to prevent osteoporosis.

If they don't smoke, have no family history and maintain regular exercise, there is no need.

At this time we cannot alter our genetic history but we can make changes in our lifestyle that will enhance our future.

The better informed a woman is prior to adopting a certain form of therapy, the better she will understand and appreciate the course of therapy.

Should I take estrogen?
It's the question for women approaching menopause. What are the benefits? What are the risks? How do I make the right decision? Reasons for considering hormone replacement therapy can be divided into two broad categories:

The first is for relief of early, or perimenopausal, symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness (which contributes to painful intercourse), mild bladder problems, irritability and mood swings.

For 75 percent, these symptoms will be mild but irksome.

The second is to prevent the more serious medical problems of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

While these two conditions occur later, they do appear to be strongly related to menopause. Both are associated with significant mortality rates.

Estrogen is thought to have a protective effect on a woman's cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death for women in this country.

In 2008, more women - 51 percent - than men died of cardiovascular disease. In that year, twice as many women died from cardiovascular disease.

Estrogen replacement therapy should definitely be considered for prevention of the disease in high-risk patients.

Let's suppose at 50, at the age of menopause, a woman's bone mineral density is 100 percent. With replacement, she will be able to keep bone mineral density at an existing level as long as she is taking estrogen. There is no need to take it for the rest of her life, but at least for the two decades after menopause.

Though most scientists agree the benefits of hormone replacement therapy outweigh the possible increased risks of uterine and breast cancer, no single pathway is a guarantee to perfect health over the next 40 years.

What we are trying to do at this point in life is to optimize the health of each woman for the next 40 years. This is best done as a joint decision between a woman and her physician.

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