Many peri- and post-menopausal women describe problems with memory and attention. Data regarding the use of estrogen replacement therapy to improve cognitive functioning has been mixed. Furthermore, recent concerns regarding the long-term risks of ERT have limited its use. A recent report from C. Nell Epperson and colleagues from the University Of Pennsylvania School Of [...]
Tag Archives: Menopause
Atomoxetine Improves Memory and Attention in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women
March 28, 2011 – 3:17 pm
New Research from the CWMH: Escitalopram (Lexapro) for Hot Flashes
February 3, 2011 – 10:46 am
For decades, estrogen has been used to treat menopausal symptoms, including night sweats and hot flashes. However, after studies reported that estrogen increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, many patients and clinicians have looked into alternative treatments for hot flashes, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). According to a new study published [...]
The Truth About Bioidentical Hormones
November 23, 2009 – 12:50 pm
In increasing numbers, women who are candidates for hormonal replacement therapy are requesting “bioidentical” rather than synthetic hormones. Although there is a tendency to think of bioidentical hormones as “all-natural”, they, like synthetic hormones, are manufactured in the laboratory. In contrast to synthetic hormones, they are chemically identical to the hormones produced by the human [...]
Pregabalin (Lyrica) for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
September 21, 2009 – 10:04 am
Although estrogen is highly effective for the treatment of hot flushes, many women are reluctant to use hormone therapy to manage these symptoms, given recent concerns that estrogen may carry certain risks. Several studies have demonstrated that gabapentin (Neurontin) and certain antidepressants, including paroxetine (Paxil) and venlafaxine (Effexor), may be useful non-hormonal treatments for the [...]
Hot Flashes or Depression: Which Comes First?
September 14, 2009 – 9:37 am
Hot flashes and depression are both common symptoms of the menopause transition. Several studies have found a relationship between depression and hot flashes: depressed women are more likely to experience hot flashes and women with hot flashes are more likely to have depression. Other studies have found no association between hot flashes and depression. The [...]
Depression and Menopausal Symptoms Go Together
August 17, 2009 – 10:52 am
It is well established that women are at increased risk for developing depression compared to men. It has been hypothesized that this vulnerability to depression may be hormonally mediated, and several longitudinal studies have documented an increased risk of depressive symptoms during perimenopause or the menopausal transition. Based on the results of two prospective cohort [...]
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines for Menopausal Hot Flashes
May 29, 2009 – 10:49 am
Approximately seventy percent of all women experience hot flashes and/or night sweats (also called vasomotor symptoms) during the menopause transition (Stearns et al. 2002). Until recently, estrogen therapy was the treatment of choice for most women who sought treatment for hot flashes. Since the results of the Women’s Health Initiative in 2002 noted risks of [...]
Phytoestrogens and Menopause
January 20, 2009 – 2:30 pm
For decades, estrogen was used as a component of hormone replacement therapy to treat menopausal symptoms and for anticipated preventative health benefits in women with prostesterone, or as a monotherapy hormone treatment in women after hysterectomy, but after studies reported that long-term estrogen increase the prevalence of cardiovascular events and breast cancer, many patients and [...]
Testosterone Patch Improves Sexual Functioning in Postmenopausal Women
December 1, 2008 – 2:37 pm
Sexual dysfunction is common among postmenopausal women and include a spectrum of problems, including low (or hypoactive) sexual desire, decreased satisfaction, and discomfort. Reports indicate that the prevalence of hypoactive sexual desire ranges from 9% in naturally postmenopausal women up to 26% in younger surgically postmenopausal women. A recent study published in the New England [...]
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Menopausal Hot Flashes: A Pilot Study
September 29, 2008 – 12:27 pm
Hot flashes are a common and distressing symptom of menopause, affecting approximately 60-70 % of women undergoing the menopausal transition. Several pharmacologic treatments for hot flashes, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and some antidepressants, have been shown to reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes. However, some women prefer not to use HRT or [...]
Citalopram (Celexa) Effective for Treating Hot Flashes
September 8, 2008 – 10:38 am
For decades, estrogen has been used to treat menopausal symptoms, including night sweats and hot flushes. However, after studies reported that estrogen may have an adverse effect on risk for cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, many patients and clinicians have looked into alternative treatments for hot flashes, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The North [...]
Interactions Between Antidepressants and Tamoxifen
June 18, 2008 – 9:46 am
Women receiving tamoxifen for the treatment or prevention of breast cancer should be aware of possible drug-drug interactions with specific antidepressant medications (e.g., SSRI). These antidepressants are used widely to treat depression and anxiety disorders. In addition, multiple studies have shown that these antidepressants are an effective non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes; over 25% of [...]
Acupuncture for the Treatment of Menopausal Hot Flushes
March 31, 2008 – 3:08 pm
Many women report vasomotor symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats, during the menopausal transition. While estrogen is clearly one of the most effective treatments for vasomotor symptoms, recent concerns regarding the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have made treaters much more reluctant to recommend HRT, even for short-term management of vasomotor symptoms. A [...]
Desvenlafaxine for the Treatment of Menopausal Hot Flushes
March 7, 2008 – 10:56 am
Last Friday, Wyeth received FDA approval for the antidepressant desvenlafaxine succinate (marketed under the name Pristiq), a metabolite of venlafaxine or Effexor. Although this drug was approved for the treatment of major depression, a recent study has demonstrated that desvenlafaxine could be an effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women. Many women report vasomotor [...]
Paroxetine CR May Be Helpful for Menopausal Women Discontinuing Hormone Therapy
November 12, 2007 – 6:40 pm
Estrogen was first approved by the FDA for the treatment of menopausal symptoms in 1942, and for many decades estrogen replacement therapy had been widely prescribed for peri- and post-menopausal women. In 2002, however, data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) suggested that hormonal therapy may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer [...]
Sleep Problems in Menopausal Women
November 3, 2007 – 5:22 am
Peri- and post-menopausal women frequently complain of insomnia or poor sleep quality. Sleep disturbance is often attributed to nocturnal hot flashes; however, a recent study from researchers at Wayne State University School of Medicine suggests that about half of these women may have a primary sleep disorder. In this study, 102 women (ages 44 to [...]
Does Estrogen Improve Cognition?
October 30, 2007 – 5:38 pm
While earlier observational studies suggested that postmenopausal hormone treatment may improve cognitive functioning in women, studies from the Women’s Health Initiative have shown that estrogen replacement therapy started in postmenopausal women (65 years or older) did not enhance cognitive functioning nor did it decrease the risk of dementia. In order to assess the effect of [...]
Perimenopause May Be a Time of Risk for New Onset Depression
February 10, 2007 – 12:35 pm
The transition to menopause has typically been considered a time when women may be more vulnerable to mood changes. There have been inconclusive data, however, as to whether women with no lifetime history of depression transitioning to menopause are at increased risk for developing an episode of major depression. In a recent study, Drs. Lee [...]
Duloxetine for the Treatment of Menopausal Symptoms and Mood in Postmenopausal Women
July 30, 2006 – 1:23 pm
Depression is common in postmenopausal women suffering from menopausal vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes, night sweats) and insomnia. While estrogen replacement therapy may alleviate these symptoms and may also have a positive impact on mood, the use of estrogen has declined over recent years. There has been great interest in finding alternative strategies for the management [...]
Escitalopram for Menopause-Related Depression and Vasomotor Symptoms
December 30, 2005 – 2:45 pm
Every year more than 1.7 million women in the United States enter into menopause. During this time of hormonal fluctuations it is typical for women to experience hot flashes, night sweats and sleep disturbance. More recently, studies have identified an association between menopausal transition and an increased risk for developing depressive symptoms (Harlow et al., [...]
Perimenopause: A Time of Risk for Depression
October 22, 2005 – 7:41 pm
More than 50 percent of women experience some perimenopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, night sweats, and sleep disturbance, before reaching the menopause. A recent article from Aetna Intelihealth notes that many women may also experience depression. In a study form Dr. Claudio Soares, women with clinically confirmed perimenopause were interviewed: Of the 101 women studied, [...]
Venlafaxine (Effexor) for Postmenopausal Hot Flushes
January 18, 2005 – 4:00 pm
During the menopausal transition, up to 85% of women experience vasomotor symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats. For many women, hot flushes may be severe; they can interfere with work and other daily activities and affect sleep quality. Hot flushes may be associated with fatigue, poor concentration, and depression. Given the recent data from [...]
Reevaluating the Pros and Cons of Hormone Replacement Therapy
September 18, 2002 – 2:07 pm
Each year, more than 1.3 million American women become menopausal in the U.S. The menopausal transition is marked by intense hormonal variability, and frequently accompanied by vasomotor symptoms (e.g., hot flashes, night sweats), sleep disturbance, and altered libido. In addition, as women become estrogen-deprived, they may also experience an increased risk for osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, [...]
