title: Ultra-low dose - new approaches in menopausal hormone therapy.
abstract: Despite increasing life expectancy, the age of onset of natural menopause has not significantly changed in recent decades. Thus, women spend about one-third of their lives in an estrogen-deficient state if untreated. There is a need for appropriate treatment of acute symptoms and prevention of the sequelae of chronic estrogen deficiency. International guidelines call for the use of the lowest effective hormone dosage for vasomotor symptom relief, the major indication for menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). In 2011, an oral continuous combined ultra-low-dose MHT was approved in Switzerland. This publication was elaborated by eight national menopause specialists and intends to review the advantages and disadvantages of ultra-low-dose MHT after the first years of its general use in Switzerland. It concludes that, for many women, ultra-low-dose MHT may be sufficient to decrease vasomotor symptoms, but not necessarily to guarantee fracture prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Berne.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stute
authors.forename: H-G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bitzer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatsiproios
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luzuy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Wolff
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wunder
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birkhäuser
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000517:prevention & control; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013557:Switzerland; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens
keywords: ESTROGEN; HORMONE THERAPY; MENOPAUSE; ULTRA-LOW DOSE