As part of their biological aging, women stop menstruating around 45 to 55 years of age. The ovaries no longer produce eggs, and the estrogen levels start taking a huge dip. With the resulting fluctuation in hormone levels, women experience discomfort while carrying out their day-to-day chores.
While menopause is natural, this process might not be smooth for all, and the degree of discomfort can differ based on prior medical history and other underlying health conditions.
Here’s where hormone therapy steps in. Many healthcare providers use this treatment method to replenish the lost hormones and maintain natural production levels by injecting synthetic or naturally derived estrogen and progestin.
With plenty of clinical evidence, menopausal hormone therapy stands as a promising solution in restoring the quality of life for women:
- Dealing with the symptoms of menopause.
- Who’ve had to surgically remove their ovaries because of endometrial cancer.
- Whose ovarian glands have lost their normal function.
What’s more, besides restoring hormonal balance, estrogen therapy also reduces the risk of chronic health conditions like osteoporosis (thinning of bones) and heart disease when administered at the onset of perimenopause (early years of menopause).
If you are contemplating adding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to your clinical therapy, you are on the right track. You’ll be able to make a difference in the lives of your patients as they navigate a complicated phase of womanhood.
Read on as we explore how hormone therapy can help your patients navigate menopause. We’ll also look at the benefits and side effects of this treatment option, along with actionable tips for you to add another life-changing solution to your practice.
What is Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopause?
According to the definition given by the North American Menopause Society, menopause refers to the permanent end of the menstrual cycle due to the cessation of the production of reproductive hormones (for at least 12 consecutive months).
During this transition, the ovaries stop releasing eggs, and it causes a dip in the progesterone and estrogen levels. As a result, menopausal women, as well as those in their midlife years, start experiencing various symptoms such as the following (but not limited to):
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Vaginal dryness
- Painful intercourse
- Decreased sex drive
- Unexplained weight gain
- Increased blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Osteoporosis
- Cardiovascular diseases
Fortunately, women don’t have to live with these symptoms—there’s relief. Enter hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), an FDA-approved treatment option that helps alleviate the aforementioned symptoms of menopause.
It’s available in two types based on how the hormones to be administered are sourced:
- Synthetic. These hormones are clinically engineered. Although they might resemble the female sex hormones, they are not identical at a molecular level.
- Bioidentical. In bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), sex hormones are derived from natural sources (like yams, cacti, or soy), and they are structurally identical to the ones produced in the human body.
Healthcare providers commonly rely on BHRT, like the EvexiPELMethod. Here, each pellet is made of bioidentical hormones which expert pharmacists compound at FDA-registered 503B outsourcing facilities. These high-quality standards assure the effectiveness of the treatment while reducing possible side effects.
Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopausal Women
Hormone replacement therapy can help significantly improve the quality of life by reducing symptoms like night sweats, vaginal dryness, and fatigue. Further, clinical studies add the following long-term benefits to the list:
- Increased libido. A 2016 study found that estrogen hormone therapy restored sexual desire in postmenopausal women. For those who underwent low-dose estrogen therapy paired with testosterone therapy, their libido was further enhanced.
- Maintaining bone density. Lower levels of estrogen pose an increased risk of bone loss. Studies show that HRT administration reduced vertebral and non-vertebral fractures by 30% in menopausal women.
- Heart health. Clinical trials show that when HRT is administered within 10 years of starting menopause and before the age of 60, it can reduce the risk of having a heart attack and stroke.
- Cognitive function. Out of all Alzheimer’s Disease patients, more than two-thirds are women. For those who underwent HRT, research shows that a higher lifetime risk of AD can be mitigated. Similarly, HRT improved other cognitive functions, like the ability to focus on tasks and improve memory power.
In addition to these benefits, here’s an interesting fact about how HRT works: it’s highly customizable. This means it allows for targeted treatment by identifying and curing the root cause of hormonal imbalance. Therefore, based on an individual’s unique hormonal profile, you can easily tailor the dosage and the duration of the treatment.
Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy: Choosing the Right Approach
There are two types of hormone therapies:
- Estrogen hormone therapy
- Combination hormone therapy
Gynecologists prescribe taking estrogen-only HRT if patients have had a hysterectomy (removal of the womb). Otherwise, patients would be advised to take combination HRT (containing both estrogen and progesterone hormones) to protect against endocrine and uterine cancer.
HRT can be administered in various forms: creams, patches, oral medications, injections, and pellets. Based on the chosen form and symptoms to treat, patients would undergo local or systemic therapy.
- Systemic hormone therapy. Helpful in treating general symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Here, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) get into the patient’s bloodstream and traverse to the destined organs and tissues.
- Local hormone therapy. Helpful in treating a specific symptom like vaginal dryness. Here, a vaginal cream or ring would be applied or inserted into the vagina.
By analyzing the patient’s condition and prior medical history, you can determine the right approach. In recent times, however, pellet therapy like the EvexiPEL Method has gained popularity among patients and healthcare providers alike as a convenient and long-lasting option.
In the EvexiPEL Method, hormone pellets are inserted under the top layer of the hip or buttock. The hormones from the pellet get released into the bloodstream steadily with the same momentum at which the natural hormones would be secreted. Unlike daily treatments, patients can set it and forget it. They’d only have to visit their practitioner twice or thrice a year to renew the pellet implants. What’s more, since the EvexiPEL pellet contains bioidentical hormones, patients confidently undergo the treatment without fear of side effects associated with HRT.
Addressing Safety and Risks of Hormone Therapy
Unlike the common misconception, HRT is generally safe and is not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer or other serious health complications. However, when women start HRT after 60 years of age or after 10 years of menopause, the following side effects of hormone therapy can be observed:
- Blood clots
- Irregular vaginal bleeding
- Breast tenderness
To mitigate health risks, healthcare providers must educate their patients to start HRT in their 40s or 50s. Regular follow-ups are a must to check if side effects resolve on their own and track the progress of the hormone treatment. This will enable healthcare providers to alter course and tailor the therapy suitable to how the body is responding to the treatment.
Important note: When analyzing patient medical records, if practitioners find a history of liver disease, gallbladder disease, or cancer, then an alternative to HRT must be prescribed.
How to Integrate Hormone Therapy into Your Practice
To integrate hormone therapy into your practice:
- Start by being trained and getting certified.
- Stay up-to-date on the latest research and trends in HRT to ensure the highest standard of care for your patients.
- Partner with trusted suppliers for hormone pellets and other therapies to streamline your practice operations.
Empower Your Patients and Practice with EVEXIAS Health Solutions
From increasing sex drive to improving quality sleep and maintaining bone health, the benefits of hormone therapy are numerous for menopausal women. By adding HRT to your service, you can make a lasting impact on the lives of your patients navigating this tough phase of menopause.
At EVEXIAS Health Solutions, we provide the tools, training, and support you need to make hormone therapy a cornerstone for your practice so you can deliver optimal patient outcomes while expanding your expertise. Sign up today to become an EvexiPEL-certified provider.
