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For those of you who are afraid you are taking your estrogens for too long a period of time, there's good news from The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), a leading authority on hormone therapy. At their most recent meeting they dropped the phrase "limited to the shortest duration" in their yearly "Position Statement" which gives their most up-to-date consensus of experts on hormone therapy. This is a very big change as more and more physicians are realizing that the recommendations which came out of the WHI study were harsher than they needed to be. Read more below.
September 29, 2004 09:48 AM US Eastern Timezone
The North American Menopause Society Updates Position Statement on Estrogen and Progestogen Use in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women
CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 2004--
The third annual report, titled "Recommendations for estrogen and progestogen use in peri- and postmenopausal women: October 2004 position statement of The North American Menopause Society," contains several significant revisions based on clinical trial data published in the past year. It will be published in the Nov/Dec 2004 issue of the Society's official journal, Menopause.
In each of the last three years, NAMS has convened a Hormone Therapy Panel composed of experts in many fields to review newly published studies and to determine whether recommendations need revised or if new recommendations need to be added.
The following are some of the significant revisions contained in the 2004 document:
-- Placed no limit on ET/EPT treatment duration, provided it is consistent with treatment goals and is monitored regularly; no stipulation was made regarding when to reduce or stop therapy.
-- Revised the breast cancer statement to indicate that the risk of breast cancer probably increases with EPT (Estrogen-Progestogen Therapy) use but not ET (Estrogen Therapy) use.
-- Noted that the role of both ET and EPT in the primary prevention of coronary heart disease (i.e., preventing the disease from occurring) remains unclear, especially in younger women starting therapy early and continuing for a number of years.
NAMS is North America's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting women's health during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause. (www.menopause.org).
And for you vitamin takers (like myself), here's the latest on one of my favorite supplements, folic acid.
High Folate Intake Lowers Women's Risk of Hypertension
By Martha Kerr
By Martha Kerr
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Oct 11 - Women consuming 800 micrograms per day or more of folate (folic acid) have a significantly lower risk of high blood pressure than women consuming lesser amounts, according to data reported Monday at the American Heart Association's 58th Annual Fall Conference.
Dr. John P. Forman of Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital reported the data from the Nurses' Health Studies I & II, comprising 155,000 women between 26 and 70 years old.
None of the women had high blood pressure at baseline. The investigators divided the women into five categories according to folate intake. Younger women who consumed 800 micrograms or more per day had a 29% lower risk of high blood pressure than those who consumed less than 200 micrograms daily. Older women in the highest category had a 13% lower risk of high blood pressure. "It is very hard to get [800 micrograms folate daily] from diet alone," Dr. Forman noted. "Essentially all the women in the highest category took supplements."
Last, here's the latest research on the testosterone patch for women - due out next year.
Testosterone Patch Hailed As Female Viagra
Wed Oct 20, 1:14 AM ET Health - AP
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer
PHILADELPHIA - Menopausal women had more sex and were happier about it when using an experimental hormone patch hailed by some as a possible female equivalent of Viagra, doctors reported Tuesday. Women on the testosterone patch had sex about four times more than they usually did in two months compared to only one additional session for women given a fake patch containing no hormone, a study found.
"We found an increase in activity, an increase in desire and a decrease in distress," said Dr. Robin Kroll, a Seattle gynecologist. "The testosterone patch looks very promising. It may be the answer for what women are looking for for a libido lag in menopause," said Dr. Marian Damewood, a University of Pennsylvania gynecologist who is president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Those on the hormone patch improved in all measures. Side effects were mild — mostly excess facial hair and red or irritated skin from the patch, Kroll said. "None of those patients wanted to stop taking the testosterone," she added.
The above is not meant to be medical advice or a substitute for professional evaluation or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician or healthcare provider before any modification in the treatment of any medical condition. Also, please read the attached Disclaimer, Etc.
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