title: Treating recurrent postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms in a patient with a positive family history for breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of recurrent hot flashes unresponsive to gabapentin in a postmenopausal patient with a positive family history of breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 69-year-old Caucasian female experienced a recurrence of debilitating hot flashes for the past eight months. More recently, she failed a two-month trial of gabapentin 600 mg by mouth at bedtime after she previously received effective hormone replacement therapy (HRT) seven years ago with near-complete resolution of her symptoms. The patient had a sister and a niece who developed breast cancer in their 40s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment of postmenopausal hot flashes in a patient with a positive family history of breast cancer represents a clinical challenge for many clinicians. This case is an example in which gabapentin was ineffective in the treatment of severe hot flashes in a postmenopausal woman. The risks and benefits of HRT compared with nonhormonal alternatives were assessed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this case, a two-month trial of gabapentin 600 mg/day failed to demonstrate efficacy in reducing the severity, frequency, and duration of hot flashes. Controlled trials are necessary to evaluate the safety and efficacy of other therapeutic alternatives.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Apotex Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lake
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017698:Postmenopause; D012008:Recurrence; D017211:Treatment Failure; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin