title: Postmenopausal hormone therapy: a concise guide to therapeutic uses, formulations, risks, and alternatives.
abstract: Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy is helpful in relieving menopausal vasomotor symptoms and vaginal atrophy and can prevent osteoporosis; however, attendant risks include breast cancer, thromboembolism, gallbladder disease, stroke, CHD, dementia, and hypertriglyceridemia. Decision making must weigh these risks and benefits and also include potential benefits on mood, colorectal cancer prevention, and hip fracture reduction. Some areas, such as ovarian cancer risk and the impact of combination estrogen-progestin versus unopposed estrogen on risk, remain unclear. The physician and patient need to carefully assess, discuss, and monitor the individual's symptoms and risks when considering HT use. For those with contraindications or concerns about HT, there are alternative therapies of variable efficacy for vasomotor symptoms and vaginal atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 West Wisconsin Avenue, FEOB, Suite 4200, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. jmitchel@mcw.edu
authors.forename: Julie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Rebekah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang-Cheng
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hardman
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000187:drug effects