Hormone replacement therapy consists of treatment with estrogens alone or with estrogens with progestogens in order to relieve the symptoms produced by the decrease of natural hormones in menopause.
The symptoms of menopause secondary to the drop in estrogens are very varied, from vaginal dryness or hot flushes to osteoporosis. In some cases, the symptoms can candition the quality of life, affecting and limiting the woman in her daily life. On other occasions, such as early menopause, the period of years in which a woman will have low levels of estrogen can be very long, thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis in the future. In these situations, hormone replacement therapy may be indicated for a variable time interval.
The FDA advises the use of hormone therapy for the shortest possible time and at the lowest possible dose to control the symptoms of menopause. The gynecologist will be responsible for deciding what medication to take and even when to take it, based on the patient's symptoms and characteristics.
