“Hormone therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for bothersome hot flashes and night sweats. If hot flashes and night sweats are disrupting your daily…”.¹

Umbrella

What may the Hormone Therapy Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

Date

What can it be important to be clear about with hormone therapy (HT) information?

It can be important to be clear about the date of all information including the date of HT information, because this information may have been updated.

Symptoms or Chronic Conditions

What can it also be important to be clear about with HT information?

It can also be important to be clear about whether HT information is about the use of HT for the management of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness or for the prevention of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis.

Definition

What is hormone therapy (HT)?

DotS the definition of HT may vary. In Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Is MHT? the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:

“Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), formerly known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), helps manage menopausal symptoms when they interfere with your life. Menopausal symptoms are caused by lowering levels of oestrogen hormones. MHT is the medical replacement of female hormones oestrogen and progesterone, and sometimes testosterone”.²

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): About Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) the (United Kingdom) NHS’s definition is:

“Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment used to help menopause symptoms. It replaces the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which fall to low levels as you approach the menopause”.³

In Glossary of Terms: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)/ Hormone Therapy (HT) the Australasian Menopause Society’s (AMS) definition is:

In Hormone Therapy the Menopause Society’s (formerly The North American Menopause Society) definition is:

“Hormone therapies (HT), sometimes mistakenly called hormone replacement therapy, are the prescription drugs used most often to treat menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), which includes vaginal dryness after menopause”.⁵

Contraceptive or Not

Is HT a contraceptive?

No. On page four in Contraception for the Older Woman: Hormone Replacement Therapy the (British) Women’s Health Concern (WHC) note:

“It is important to realise that HRT is not a method of contraception”.⁶

Effective or Not

How effective is HT?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits, published July 2022, the Menopause Society note:

“Hormone therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for bothersome hot flashes and night sweats. If hot flashes and night sweats are disrupting your daily activities and sleep, HT may improve sleep and fatigue, mood, ability to concentrate, and overall quality of life”.⁷

Types

Are there different types of HT?

Yes. In HRT: Which HRT? the WHC explain:

Dose, Duration and Follow Up

What does the FDA note about choosing to use HT?

In Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause? the (United States) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) note:

In BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women: Summary Consensus Statement – Key Points the British Menopause Society and Women’s Health Concern (BMS & WHC) also note:

The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause

Do the most robust menopause Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) support MHT as the most effective treatment to alleviate VMS [Vasomotor Symptoms]?

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors explain:

2022 Joint Position Statement

What does the Joint Position Statement by the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause include about HT?

In the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online, the 22 recommendations and more, include:

2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The NAMS

What does The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society, published July 2022, note about HT?

In The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society the NAMS note:

Benefits and Risks

What are the benefits and risks of HT?

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) the NHS note:

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the (United States) Mayo Clinic explain:

“Before deciding on any form of treatment, talk with your healthcare professional about your choices and the risks and benefits of each. Review your choices yearly. Your needs and the treatment choices may change”.¹⁵

Health Care Provider

What if I to choose to use HT?

If you choose to use HT, it may be in your best interest to also choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

On page two in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Hormone Therapy Options the Menopause Society elaborate on:

“Each woman must make her own decision about HT with the help of her healthcare professional. If you decide to take HT, the next step is to choose between the many HT options available to find the best dose and route for you. With guidance from your health care professional, you can try different forms of HT until you find the type and dose that treats your symptoms with few adverse effects”.¹⁶

The JH also note:

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at: