Hot flushes, hormone therapy and alternative treatments: 30 years of experience from Sweden

Abstract

Objectives The use of hormone therapy (HT) for hot flushes has changed dramatically over the past five decades.In this cross-sectional questionnaire study, the aim was to describe the use of HT and alternative treatments and to study the frequency of hot flushes. A further aim was to compare data from the present questionnaire with data from previous studies made in the same geographic area.Method A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 2,000 women aged 47-56 years living in Östergötland County, Sweden. The results were compared with findings from previous studies regarding use of HT, alternative treatment and hot flushes, and the number of HT prescriptions dispensed during the corresponding time using data derived from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Registry. ResultsThe response rate was 66%. Six percent used HT, in line with prevalence data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Registry. Alternative treatments were used by 10%. About 70% of postmenopausal women reported flushes and almost one third of those with flushes stated that they would be positive to HT if therapy could be shown to be harmless, a view more often stated by women with severe complaints of hot flushes (67%). ConclusionThe use of HT and alternative treatments is low and many women suffer from flushes that could be treated. Women considered their knowledge of the climacteric period and treatment options as insufficient. Individualized information should be given and women with significant climacteric complaints, without contraindications, should be given the opportunity to try HT.3

Low use of effective and safe therapies for moderate to severe menopausal symptoms

“…Past reports of hormone therapy use have not provided detailed information on the type of therapies used or on examined nonhormone or compounded therapies. 6,7,49 The main limitation of our study is that it required proficiency in written English. This did not significantly affect our results, as English literacy in Australian women exceeds 96%.…”

“…3,4 After the publication of findings from the Women's Health Initiative, 5 the use of hormone therapy declined globally. 6,7 Conversely, compounded hormone therapies-which are promoted as natural but do not have established efficacy or safety-emerged. 8 Furthermore, androgen therapies are used by some women for female sexual dysfunction.…”

Effects of resistance training on quality of life in postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms

“…In a Swedish study with data from 2010 [9], about 25% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women reported severe VMS with a need for treatment. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) containing estrogen (combined with a progestogen for non-hysterectomized women) is the most effective treatment and reduces the frequency of VMS by at least 75% [10].…”

Investigation of the role of herbal medicine, acupressure, and acupuncture in the menopausal symptoms: An evidence-based systematic review study

“…[ 16 17 18 19 ] In addition, 10% of women are prohibited from taking estrogen because of some diseases and hormone therapy is used in less than 20% of cases. [ 20 ] There is a growing concern among women about the use of these methods which is one of the reasons for women's lack of tendency for hormone therapy and their tendency to use nonpharmacological methods. [ 21 ] Over the past decade, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat women's problems, including menopausal problems, has increased.…”