Hormone Therapy Types

“The type of HRT most suited to a woman will depend on a variety of factors, including her stage in the menopausal process, and whether or not she has had a…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy Types Umbrella include?

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

  • Combined/Combination HT/HRT
  • Continuous HT
  • Continuous Oestrogen and Progestogen Combinations
  • Cyclical/Sequential HT/HRT
  • Estrogen Therapy (ET)
  • Estrogen-Progestogen Therapy (EPT)
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  • Oestrogen Only HT/HRT/Therapy
  • Oestrogen and Progestogen Combination HRT
  • Progestin/Progestogen

Not One-Size-Fits-All

Is HT one-size-fits-all?

No. In HRT: Types, Doses and Regimes the (British) Women’s Health Concern explain:

“Many types of HRT are available and there is not one type, dose or regimen which suits all women. It is important to understand which hormones are used, why and how so that for each woman who chooses to take HRT, the treatment is individualised to best suit her needs, taking into account types of symptoms, medical history, period pattern if present and current national recommendations and guidelines”.2

Different Differences

What are some HT different difference?

No. In HRT: Which HRT? the (British) Women’s Health Concern explain:

“The type of HRT most suited to a woman will depend on a variety of factors, including her stage in the menopausal process, and whether or not she has had a hysterectomy. Most forms of HRT combine different amounts of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone (manufactured progesterone is called progestogen in the UK and progestin in the US).

There are over 50 different combinations of HRT currently available. Most women will make their choice over whether to take HRT, and which form, with the help of their GP”.3

Who is a GP?

DotS and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a qualified and registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.

Uterus or No UterusHormone Therapy Benefits and Risks

Is the type of HT prescribed for women with a uterus different from the type of HT prescribed for women without a uterus?

Yes. On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) elaborate on:

“Hormone therapy involves taking estrogen in doses high enough to raise the level of estrogen in your blood in order to treat hot flashes and other symptoms. Because estrogen stimulates the lining of the uterus, women with a uterus need to take an additional hormone, progestogen, to protect the uterus. Women without a uterus just take estrogen. If you are bothered only by vaginal dryness, you can use very low doses of estrogen placed directly into the vagina”.4

UterusHormone Therapy Benefits and Risks

What type of HT may be prescribed for women who have a uterus?

In Hormone Help Desk: ET, EPT, and More – Estrogen-Progestogen Therapy (EPT) the NAMS explain:

“Women with a uterus who wish to use estrogen for symptom relief should combine it with a progestogen to protect the lining of the uterus (endometrium). Estrogen stimulates the uterine lining and causes it to thicken, increasing risk for endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus). Progestogen is used to decrease the risk caused from ET, but does not protect against the type of uterine cancer that that is unrelated to estrogen. EPT is associated with side effects similar to ET and should be used at the lowest effective dose consistent with treatment goals. The risk of breast cancer appears to be higher with EPT, especially when used long-term (more than 5 yrs)”.5

No UterusHormone Therapy Types

What type of HT may be prescribed for women who do not have a uterus?

In Hormone Help Desk: ET, EPT, and More – Estrogen Therapy (ET) the NAMS elaborate on:

“Therapy with estrogen alone is generally appropriate only for women who have had a hysterectomy and do not need any uterine protection in the form of progestogens (either as natural progesterone or synthetic progestin) to prevent uterine cancer”.6

Health Care Provider

How do I find out what type of HT to use?

If you would like to find out what type of HT to use, it may be in your best interest to talk to your health care provider about this.

One of the points of consensus about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in the Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT – endorsed by seven menopause-related organizations – published online 20 June 2016, is:

  • “The option of MHT is an individual decision in terms of quality of life and health priorities as well as personal risk factors such as age, time since menopause and the risk of VTE, stroke, ischemic heart disease and breast cancer. MHT should not be recommended without a clear indication for its use”.7

What is VTE?

VTE can be an abbreviation for Venous Thromboembolism.

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Hormone Therapy Types?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

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Links

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  1. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 6. Myth – Complementary Medicines and Therapies Are As Effective As MHT and Safer
  2. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 7. Myth – Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Is Safer Than Conventional MHT
  3. BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
  4. Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  5. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  6. Combined Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  7. Complementary and Alternative Therapies Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  8. Complementary and Herbal Therapies for Hot Flushes
  9. Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
  10. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  11. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  12. Decidir Sobre La Hormonoterapia
  13. Estrogen & Hormones: Estrogen & Heart Disease
  14. Estrogen, Hormone Therapy and Menopause
  15. HRT and Bleeding Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  16. HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  17. HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  18. HRT: Benefits and Risks
  19. HRT: Types, Doses and Regimens
  20. Hormone Help Desk: ET, EPT, and More
  21. Hormone Replacement Therapy
  22. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  23. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  24. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives
  25. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types
  26. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  27. Hot Flash Relief Without Hormones
  28. Hot Flashes: Manage Without Medication?
  29. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do?
  30. Index To Drug-Specific Information [United States]
  31. Information About Menopause [Multiply Languages] [Videos]
  32. MHT and Breast Cancer Risk
  33. Making Sense of Menopausal Hormone Therapy Means Understanding the Benefits As Well As the Risks
  34. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Estrogen Replacement Therapy After Ovary Removal
  35. Menopause
  36. Menopause
  37. Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms
  38. Menopause Hormone Therapy: Who Shouldn’t Take It?
  39. Menopause Matters
  40. Menopause Symptoms and Relief
  41. Menopause Treatment
  42. Menopause – Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT) Safe? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
  43. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
  44. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  45. Menopause: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [Video Interview Stories]
  46. Menopause: Medicines To Help You
  47. Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
  48. Menopause: Non-HRT and Lifestyle Options [Video Interview Stories]
  49. Menopause: Non-Hormonal Treatment & Relief for Hot Flashes
  50. Menopause: Symptoms & Causes
  51. NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use
  52. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  53. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact
  54. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth
  55. Oestrogen Only Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  56. Practical Prescribing Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  57. Recent Review Confirms Safety of Low Dose Vaginal Estrogen: July 2019
  58. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  59. Risks and Benefits of MHT
  60. The North American Menopause Society Statement on Continuing Use of Systemic Hormone Therapy After Age 65
  61. Tipos de Hormonoterapia
  62. Types of Hormone Therapy
  63. Urogenital Problems
  64. Vaginal Dryness
  65. Vaginal Dryness
  66. Video Series-2018 – Tailoring Estrogen Therapy for Maximum Cardiovascular Health
  67. Video Series-2019 – Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness In Survivors of Breast Cancer and In Those With A High Risk of Breast Cancer
  68. Video Series-2020 – TSECs—A New Treatment Option for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  69. Video Series-2021 – Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Issues
  70. Video Series-2021 – What Women Need To Know About Hormone Therapies
  71. Webinars: Symposia – 2021 Vision: Practical Steps To Optimize Your Benefit-Risk. Discussions for A New Decade
  72. What Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and Is It Safe?
  73. Women Can Breathe Sigh of Relief When Using Vaginal Estrogen To Treat Menopause Symptoms
  74. Women’s Wellness: Treating Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Without Hormones [+ Video]

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. HRT: Which HRT? Reviewed: December 2017. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/hrt/ Accessed: 06 September 2021
  2. HRT: Types, Doses and Regimes. Published: September 2021. British Menopause Society https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/hrt-types-doses-and-regimens/ Accessed: 28 September 2021
  3. HRT: Which HRT? Reviewed: December 2017. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/hrt/ Accessed: 06 September 2021
  4. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/for-women/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2017.pdf Accessed: 06 September 2021
  5. Hormone Help Desk: ET, EPT, and More – Estrogen-Progestogen Therapy (EPT). North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/menopause-symptoms-and-treatments/hormone-help-desk-et-ept-and-more Accessed: 06 September 2021
  6. Hormone Help Desk: ET, EPT, and More – Estrogen Therapy (ET). North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/menopause-symptoms-and-treatments/hormone-help-desk-et-ept-and-more Accessed: 06 September 2021
  7. De Villiers, T. J., Hall, J. E., Pinkerton, J. V., Pérez, S. C., Rees, M., Yang, C. and Pierroz, D. D. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT. Climacteric, 2016;19:4:314 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/global-consensus-hrt-2016-06.pdf Accessed: 06 September 2021

Topic Last Updated: 28 September 2021 – Topic Last Reviewed: 06 September 2021
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