Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) menopause

In addition to its ability to help alleviate symptoms of menopause, hormone replacement therapy may also prevent risks associated with postmenopausal disorders such as osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, dry vagina.... of women.

For a woman's body, to be able to develop comprehensively, it is necessary to have the influence of two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, which are two hormones that play a very important role in regulating the menstrual cycle. menstruation and fertility. When entering menopause, the production of estrogen and progesterone gradually decreases and the body will see the common symptoms of menopause such as mood changes, skin redness, sleep disturbances, night sweats. , vaginal dryness....
To help a woman ease the discomforts of entering menopause, her doctor may advise on hormone replacement therapy. A woman can take estrogen alone or combine estrogen with another hormone, progesterone or progestin in synthetic form to help regulate her cycle. Estrogen, when used alone, stimulates the endometrium and leads to endometrial hyperplasia or an increased risk of cancer of the uterine body. Therefore, in hormone replacement therapy, doctors still recommend using estrogen in combination with progesterone to minimize the above risk.

To ensure a woman's health and minimize any possible risks when using hormone replacement therapy, if you have not had a hysterectomy, a progestin should be added. Progestin is a form of progesterone. Concomitant use of estrogen and progestin reduces the risk of endometrial cancer. If you have had a hysterectomy, you can use estrogen alone. In particular, hormone replacement therapy can be applied systemic or applied topically, so women can depend on their circumstances to choose the most appropriate, effective and safe method. Specifically:
2.1 Systemic therapy For this method, hormone replacement will be introduced into the blood and go to the organs in the body. With systemic estrogen supplementation, you can choose pills, gels or sprays on the skin or skin patches. Depending on your condition, progestin can be used alone or in combination with estrogen in the same pill or patch.
In case of using estrogen alone, estrogen needs to be taken every day or every few days, should be done as directed by the doctor.
In the case of combination therapy, there are 2 main types of regimens:
Cyclic therapy: Estrogen will be used every day and progestin is only used for a few days each month or a few days within 3, 4 month; Ongoing treatment: Both estrogen and progestin are given every other day. 2.2 Topical Therapy This topical menopausal hormone therapy is only used to treat female vaginal dryness in the form of a vaginal ring, suppository, or cream. These drugs release only a small amount of estrogen into the vaginal tissue and help restore thickness and elasticity of the vaginal lining, thereby reducing dryness and irritation.

Some studies have shown that, if a woman uses hormone replacement therapy in a scientific, reasonable and regular way, she will receive some benefits as follows:
Helps reduce hot flashes and night sweats, as well as related problems such as trouble sleeping and irritation; Effectively improve vaginal discomfort symptoms such as dryness, discomfort or pain during intercourse; Helps slow down the process of osteoporosis; Minimize depression and mood swings during menopause.

Menopausal hormone therapy is a drug that can be used in the form of pills, creams, patches or sprays. has been calculated in advance.
In case of choosing an oral pill, the monthly course will usually be from the first day to the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, taking estrogen and the next 10 days taking a progesterone pill, then stopping the drug completely for the remaining days. of the menstrual cycle.
In case of using the patch on the skin, the estrogen contained in the patch will be released gradually and enter the blood (not through the liver), it is necessary to use progesterone.
In addition, if you want to treat symptoms such as vaginal dryness during menopause, you can use a cream to apply directly to the vagina, this drug will penetrate the skin and quickly enter the bloodstream and to improve the situation. However, this solution is usually only for short-term use.
When using hormone replacement therapy for menopause, a woman's body may appear some side effects such as calf tightness, water retention, breast tenderness...
Duration of therapy It usually takes 2 to 5 years to be effective. During use, women need to regularly perform tests such as blood pressure measurement, weight check, breast and pelvic examination, endometrial biopsy, cervical smear ... to monitor changes in health as well as timely detect problems to have timely treatment plans.
In some cases, hormone replacement therapy for menopause will not be indicated because it may increase the risk of abnormal blood clotting, increase the chance of cancer or cancer recurrence... This includes:
Heavy smokers; People with thromboembolic disease; People with liver disease; People with severe kidney or gallbladder disease; People with severe high blood pressure; There are malignancies of the breast or endometrium; People with scleroderma. In summary, menopausal hormone therapy can bring many benefits to a woman's body if used scientifically and in the right way, and it also has many potential risks if used. used improperly and not as directed by a doctor. Therefore, before deciding to use this therapy, a woman should carefully research and examine her health to receive specific advice from a specialist.