Use of alternatives to estrogen for treatment of menopause

Minerva Endocrinol. 2002 Mar;27(1):21-41.

Abstract

Women frequently chose alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for treatment of menopause even though medical indications for estrogens may be present. Prior breast cancer or fear of breast cancer is a major consideration. This review of alternatives to estrogen discusses the evidence linking breast cancer to HRTs and compares potential risks and benefits of HRT to nonHRT alternatives for relief of vasomotor symptoms, vaginal atrophy, neurocognitive changes and prevention of heart disease and osteoporosis. Practical guidelines are suggested for use of alternatives for each problem.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Atrophy
  • Bone Density / drug effects
  • Bone Resorption / prevention & control
  • Breast Neoplasms / chemically induced
  • Breast Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Calcitonin / therapeutic use
  • Calcium / therapeutic use
  • Cardiovascular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / blood
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / prevention & control
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Contraindications
  • Diphosphonates / pharmacology
  • Diphosphonates / therapeutic use
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Estrogen Replacement Therapy* / adverse effects
  • Estrogens / pharmacology
  • Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Fractures, Bone / prevention & control
  • Hot Flashes / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Isoflavones*
  • Life Style
  • Menopause*
  • Mental Disorders / drug therapy
  • Mental Disorders / prevention & control
  • Meta-Analysis as Topic
  • Middle Aged
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / drug therapy
  • Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / prevention & control
  • Phytoestrogens
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Preparations
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Risk
  • Safety
  • Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / pharmacology
  • Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / therapeutic use
  • Urothelium / drug effects
  • Urothelium / pathology
  • Vagina / drug effects
  • Vagina / pathology

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Cardiovascular Agents
  • Diphosphonates
  • Estrogens
  • Estrogens, Non-Steroidal
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Isoflavones
  • Phytoestrogens
  • Plant Preparations
  • Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators
  • Calcitonin
  • Calcium