Care of the menopausal patient: a nurse practitioner's view.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the benefits and risks of hormone therapy (HT) and other treatment options for early postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Published clinical trials, selected peer-reviewed literature, and recent clinical practice guidelines.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) studies on HT may not be directly applicable to healthy, early postmenopausal women suffering from hot flushes. HT is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms. The benefits of HT in relieving menopausal symptoms are likely to exceed the risks in this population.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the WHI reinforce the importance of individualized care based on a woman's medical history, medical needs, and desired outcomes. Nurse practitioners can help their patients put recent results into perspective. When HT is used, nurse practitioners should consider using lower doses and reevaluate the need for therapy annually.
Dehn
Barbara
B
Women Physicians OB/GYN Medical Group, Mountain View, California 94040, USA. bdehn@gmail.com
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003376:Counseling; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012449:Safety; D016387:Women's Health