MENOPAUSE, CONT'D Worried that women may turn too quickly to treat the symptoms of menopause, a National Institutes of Health expert panel last week suggested that those without severe problems simply wait out their bodily changes. The panel is charged with clarifying the state of knowledge following several years of alarming, and sometimes contradictory, research findings. Key conclusions:
Symptoms Evidence links menopause to sleep disturbances, hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. The panel found less evidence that menopause leads to mood swings, difficulty thinking, back pain and tiredness. Studies were mixed on the link to urinary incontinence.
Hormone Replacement Therapy While HRT can be effective for women with severe menopause symptoms, these treatments' serious side effects (including increased risk of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer) require women and their doctors to carefully weigh risks and benefits, the panel said. Severe symptoms may argue for accepting greater risks; those already at higher risk for some cancers and heart disease may want to avoid HRT.
If treatment is undertaken, start with the lowest dose that seems likely to work, urged panel chairwoman Carol M. Mangione of the University of California, Los Angeles. "There is very little downside to starting low and going slow," she said.
Alternatives Little is known about the effects of alternative therapies; the panel called for further study on the dietary supplement DHEA, the hormone tibolone, antidepressants, isoflavones, phytoestrogens, botanicals, acupuncture and behavioral therapy.
-- From News Services
