Guest guest Posted July 1, 2002 Report Share Posted July 1, 2002 - (1) Hormone Replacement Therapy: Yes or No? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Menopause - marked by declining production of the female hormone estrogen - typically occurs when a woman is in her early 50s. Some women experience unpleasant side effects such as hot flashes, sleep problems, vaginal dryness and mood swings, though many women make the transition through menopause with little difficulty. Nevertheless, menopause does bring changes that can affect both the quality of a woman's life and her lifespan. The risk of heart disease, osteoporosis (thinning of bones) and cancer increases with age. Making the decision to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has never been a simple one, and new studies have made the choice even more complicated. " Women today are more reluctant to start HRT than they were even five or 10 years ago, and their physicians are less likely to recommend it, " says Barnabei, MD, PhD. She estimates that only about 10% to 20% of US women are using HRT currently. The Medical College of Wisconsin is one of 40 sites participating in the Women's Health Initiative, one of the largest US prevention studies of its kind. The study will look at the effects of HRT, diet modification, and vitamin and mineral supplements on 67,000 women from across the country, ranging in age from 50 to 79. The medical history and health habits of an additional 100,000 women will also be tracked to examine the relationship between lifestyle, health and risk factors with specific disease outcomes. It's hoped that the study will provide more definitive answers about the benefits and risks of hormone replacement. For the full story, go to: >> http://healthlink.mcw.edu/content/article/61155/1025191125.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Breast Cysts Preclude Estrogen Use The latest studies have shown that estrogen does not decrease the risk of future heart attacks in women who already have coronary heart disease. http://healthlink.mcw.edu/content/article/61155/1025276152.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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