Menopause No confidence in hormone therapy

Health Report of the TK shows falling numbers in hormone therapy

06/15/2013

According to the current health report of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), fewer and fewer men in menopause trust in hormone therapy: According to last year „Only about one in twelve women between the ages of 45 and 65 (8.1 percent) would be prescribed such a drug“, so the current press release of the TK. By contrast, in 2010 just under one in ten women (9.6 percent) had taken hormone supplements for menopausal symptoms.

Massive decline due to becoming aware of the risks
Over the past thirteen years, there has been a marked decline, according to the TK - because in the year 2000 would still have „Nearly 40 percent of women take hormone replacement supplements for the concomitant effects of menopause and for the prevention of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.“ According to the TK, the reason for the massive decline could be that scientific studies have also shown possible dangers of hormone therapy - for example, an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke, heart attack and thrombosis due to certain hormone preparations. In addition, contrary to expectations, the probability would increase to get a cardiovascular disease, the TK.

Women continue to be critical of hormone supplements
Accordingly, the preparations would still be considered skeptical even today by women: „Our data shows that even 13 years after the announcement of these critical results, the prescription levels for hormone replacement products continue to decline, albeit at a much slower pace than in the first four years to about 2004, "said Gudrun Ahlers, responsible for health reporting at TK.

One third of women have severe complaints during menopause
With the term „menopause“ (Climacteric) in the woman are the years of hormonal change before and after the menopause, so the last spontaneous menstruation in a woman's life referred. The menopause of some women starts at the age of about 40 years and last about between five and fifteen years. While one third of the women experience no or only slight discomfort during this time, another third of the menopause are accompanied by some severe symptoms: „Hot flashes and vaginal dryness are most frequently and in all representative studies named, whereas sleep disturbances, urinary problems, sexual disturbances and mood changes are not described in all studies as typical features“, so the gynecologist Dr. Dankwart Rachor from the medical center of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).

Hormone therapy only for medical need
Accordingly, according to Rachor "for two and a half years, a guideline valid, which allows an overview of relevant study results and show in which cases a hormone therapy can be useful" - because a hormone therapy should thereafter „only if it is really medically necessary“, so Dr. Dankwart Rachor on. (No)