Hormone Therapy Archives - Health BeatHealth Beat

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment that helps people who are experiencing symptoms of menopause and replaces the hormones that the body isn’t making enough of.

HRT is the term used when a person receives treatment at a younger age, especially before the age of 40. Healthcare providers use the term hormone therapy (HT) when the person is receiving treatment after the age of 50. As women transition to menopause, their ovaries stop making high levels of estrogen. This can cause symptoms, such as:

Hot flashes and night sweats

Mood swings, depression, or irritability

Insomnia

Vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse

Leaking pee

There are two main types of HRT: estrogen therapy and estrogen-progesterone therapy.

Estrogen therapy involves taking only estrogen. Estrogen can come in many forms, including:

Pills that are taken orally

A patch that sticks to the skin

A gel that is applied to the skin

A ring that is worn inside the vagina

A cream that is applied to the vagina

Tablets that are placed inside the vagina

A spray that is applied to the arm

Estrogen-progesterone therapy, or combination therapy, combines doses of estrogen and progesterone

There are two ways to take hormone replacement therapy: systemic and local.

Systemic hormone therapy means the hormone goes through your bloodstream and travels to the organs and tissues it needs to get to.

Local hormone therapy means the hormone is applied to a specific area.

There are both health benefits and risks to be aware of when taking HRT. Your healthcare provider can help determine if the benefits of HRT outweigh its risks.

A main benefit of HRT is that it relieves uncomfortable symptoms of menopause, which can lead to a better quality of life and allow you to get back to enjoying your daily activities. The benefits of HRT include:

Helping with vaginal dryness and uncomfortable sex

Helping with hot flashes and night sweats

Helping with estrogen deficiency

Other health benefits of taking HRT include:

Reduces your risk of developing osteoporosis or breaking a bone

Improves your sleep

Improves mood and overall happiness in some people

Reduces your risk of developing diabetes

Combination therapy lowers your risk of developing colon cancer

Although HRT can help you get through menopause as you deal with it, it comes with potential risks, including:

Increased risk of uterine cancer, only if you still have a uterus and aren’t taking progestin along with estrogen

Increased risk of breast cancer with long-term use in some people

Increased risk of heart disease if you begin using HRT 10 years after menopause starts

Increased risk of blood clots and stroke

Increased risk of gallbladder disease

It’s important to note that many of these potential risks have to do with your overall health and family history of health conditions. It is important to discuss any individual risks with your healthcare provider.

If HRT doesn’t work for you or if your healthcare provider doesn’t think you would benefit from it, they may offer alternative options that may help your symptoms. Alternative options include:

Antidepressants for hot flashes

Over-the-counter (OTC) vaginal lubricants

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) for hot flashes and painful sexual intercourse

Fezolinetant or paroxetine, which are FDA-approved for treating hot flashes

If you are experiencing menopause symptoms and are interested in HRT, you can get more information about Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s endocrinology service or make an appointment by calling 718-206-7001.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

In order to better understand hormone therapy, it is important to differentiate it from hormone replacement therapy (HRT); as the two are sometimes confused.

HRT is a form of treatment used to alleviate symptoms that are associated with menopause; while hormone therapy is often recommended as a form of treatment for women with hormone receptor-positive (ER-positive and/or PR-positive) breast cancers. HRT is used to increase estrogen levels, and hormone therapy is used for the opposite effect—to block or lower estrogen levels in the body.

In women diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive breast cancers or hormone-sensitive breast cancer, elevated levels of the hormone estrogen help cancer to grow. Hormone therapy can be administered by medication or by surgical interventions to either lower estrogen levels or to completely stop estrogen from stimulating and growing breast cancer cells.

Hormone therapy is mostly used after breast cancer surgery to help reduce the risk of cancer returning, decrease the risk of cancer developing in other breast tissue, stop or slow the growth of cancer that has spread. There are some instances in which treatment may begin before surgery as neoadjuvant therapy.

As with all forms of medical treatments, there are side effects associated with hormone therapy. Side effects depend on the course of treatment but are known to include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, mood swings, and depression and bone loss.

Treatments vary from person to person but there are guidelines set in place to ensure that all patients receive quality healthcare. Guidelines are based on research and agreement among experts. Updated guidelines and overviews can be found in resources provided by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Tag Archives: Hormone Therapy

What is HRT for Menopause?

Understanding Hormone Therapy For Breast Cancer