Hormone Replacement Therapy: A Blessing for Women Suffering from Menopausal Symp

Posted by Ajinkya on April 26th, 2021

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medication that contains female hormones. It has been commonly used to prevent and treat long term health related conditions such as breast cancer. Then, large clinical studies revealed significant health risks associated with this method of treatment. What does this mean to you? Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, progranitin, dongothyroidism and anti-androgens are thought to be the cause of most cases of breast cancer. Estrogen is responsible for regulating breast growth and production. The levels of estrogen in the body also help regulate menstrual cycles.

Estrogen is the key to maintaining healthy mammary gland function. Because of its important roles in these processes, estrogen levels are depleted with age. Estrogen levels in the body can be depleted as the body ages by things like smoking, menopause, obesity, certain diseases, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, birth control pills and certain medications. Estrogen can also be produced by the ovaries. Some people have too much estrogen in their system, causing osteoporosis and breast cancer. Women with certain genetic conditions may be at increased risk of breast cancer. The amount of estrogen in a woman's body at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer can vary depending on her age and the stage of her disease.

There are three major categories of hormone replacement therapy: injectable pills, topical creams and implants. All the forms are effective in reducing the symptoms of menopause and lowering the risks of heart disease. However, each type has some health issues, so the choice should be carefully considered. Injectable HRT is an option because it provides immediate relief from the symptoms of menopause without having to go through a surgical procedure. It is also easy to administer, requiring little time out of work or personal care and is non-invasive. Although it is a quick fix solution, it may not be the most cost-effective solution because it is very expensive.

Topical hormone replacement therapy is another popular choice and is a lot cheaper than injectable HRT. It is usually applied on the skin by the doctor before bedtime. Although it provides instant relief from symptoms of menopause, it is often used only for short periods of time. Implant options are becoming more popular due to their effectiveness and convenience. These devices provide the same hormones to women as injected HRT but they are smaller in size and designed to be implanted under the breast tissue.

Hormones replacement therapy for breast cancer is used as treatment for patients who have certain genetic variants of the hormone. Women with genetic risks of heart disease, diabetes and blood clots are eligible for hormone replacement therapy. A few studies indicate that the therapy can reduce the risk of breast cancer in women who have the gene variants associated with breast cancer. However, more research needs to be done to confirm the link. If this does happen, it will likely be found in women with more advanced stages of the disease, as it is only one of several treatments used for this condition. The therapy used to treat women with breast cancer is sometimes combined with surgery and radiation therapy to increase the effectiveness of the treatment. The combination is called hormonal therapy/radiation therapy. However, recent studies have highlighted increased risks of breast cancer associated with use of different hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations. The risk is higher particularly for older women. Such scenario calls for identifying the most appropriate HRT formulation and treatment regimen, and provide more consistently derived information for women's health experts.

 

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Ajinkya

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Ajinkya
Joined: January 6th, 2021
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