1. Menopause Dr Renee Verkuijl
MD (AMS), FRANZCOG, Masters of Reproductive Medicine (UNSW)

2. Dr Renee Verkuijl Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
General Obstetrics
General Gynaecology (including colposcopy and laparoscopic procedures)
Infertility (including IVF through QFG)

3. Learning objectives Medical management of menopausal symptoms
Risks and benefits of HRT
How to communicate risks and benefits to patients

4. Menopause Latin: meno= menses and pauein = cease
Retrospective definition: 12 months of no periods
Average in Australia: 51 years (premature menopause < 40 years in 1%)
Peri-menopause or menopause transition current terminology (time around the actual cessation of menses)

5. Menopausal symptoms 85% will experience some symptoms
Vasomotor: hot flushes, nights sweats, formication (“ants crawling”)
Urogenital: dry vagina, atrophic vaginitis, dyspareunia, local microtrauma, incontinence
Physical changes: decreased fitness and flexibility, changes in distribution of body fat, changes in sleep patterns

6. Menopausal symptoms
Loss of elasticity of skin and support tissues: worsening prolapse, loss of breast tissue, wrinkling
Emotional and psychological changes: anxiety or depression, insomnia, lack of concentration, poor memory
Effects on bone: osteopenia/osteoporosis
Other: change of body shape, loss of libido, change in body hair distribution

7. Menopausal symptoms Dependent on:
The amount and rate of oestrogen depletion
The collective inherited and acquired propensities to facilitate adjustment to the changes associated with the ageing process
The psychological impact of ageing and the individual’s reaction to the emotional implications of this change of life.

8. Menopause Early transition: smoking, nulliparity, high altitude
Tubal ligation has no effect on timing
Family history most important

9. Endocrinology
Less oestrogen production due to the sequential loss of competent follicles being finally depleted by the fifth decade of life
Oestrone is main oestrogen produced after menopause
Androstenedione (from adrenal gland) is also converted to oestrogens in peripheral sites (dependent on body weight and proportion of adipose tissue)

10. Endocrinology

11. Endocrinology With time oestradiol levels drop, FSH and LH levels rise
Testosterone levels drop
Women might still have regular cycles with high FSH levels (and ovulate!)

12. Hot flush
Oestrogen withdrawal affects the central delta-adrenergic system. This causes release of catecholamines and prostaglandins that produce the hot flushes.
LH is released coincident to hot flushes, but does not appear to be the cause.
Increased rate of skin electrical conductance, increased skin temperature and decreased body core temperature are objective findings.

13. Hot flush triggers Cigarette smoking Alcohol Caffeine Stress
Heat (or change in temperature)
Hot spicy foods
Exercise (controversial!)

14. Hot flush
Mean duration is 3 minutes and may be associated with sweating and insomnia
20% experience vasomotor symptoms 10 years after onset of menopause
10% have life-long symptoms

15. Osteoporosis
Long term complication of oestrogen deficiency

16. Life-style planning Diet Exercise Stop smoking
Interpersonal relationships
Stress relief and relaxation
Holistic approach (bio/psycho/social)

17. Medical Management Hormone Replacement Therapy Alternatives:
Progestogens
Delta-adrenergic drugs (Clonidine)
Gabapentin
SSRI (venlafaxine and paroxetine)
Phytoestrogens
Steroids (DHEA and progesterone creams)
Tibolone (Livial)
Selective Oestrogen Receptor Modulators (tamoxifen, raloxifene)
Herbals (black cohosh, wild yam and others)
Bio-identicals

18. Hormone Replacement Therapy
From 1960s- 1990s menopause was seen as a deficiency state
Every post-menopausal woman should be on HRT
HRT is good for the heart
Should be taken indefinitely to preserve bone mass
HRT probably prevents dementia

19. HRT
In the 1960s oestrogen only therapy was the norm, but soon it was apparent that this had a risk of endometrial hyperplasia and uterine cancer in women with a uterus
Nurses Health Study and HERS showed risks
In 2002 Women’s Health Initiative Study (WHI) showed that HRT is associated with risks

20. HRT and WHI
Large randomised controlled trial to investigate effect of HRT on heart disease, hip fracture and cancer.
Mean age 63 years
Ceased early due to increased risk of breast cancer in combined arm and increased risk of stroke in oestrogen alone arm

21. WHI - Overall
Combined: increased risk of coronary heart disease, Cerebrovascular accidents, pulmonary emboli and breast cancer, decreased risk of bowel cancer and hip fractures
Oestrogen alone: increased risk of strokes, decreased risk of hip and spinal fractures

22. HRT “window of opportunity”
Maybe some benefit if HRT is started early enough in the peri-menopause (prior to tissue damage due to ageing)
Danish RCT with 1000 peri-menopausal participants show cardiovascular benefit with 10 year follow up (Oct 2012)
Results of the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS 2012), has shown that HRT started soon after the menopause appears safe and relieves many menopausal symptoms, as well as improving mood and cardiovascular risk markers (American RCT, 729 participants)

23. Consensus (North American Menopause Society, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Endocrine Society)
Systemic hormone therapy is an acceptable option for relatively young (up to age 59 or within 10 years of menopause) and healthy women who are bothered by moderate to severe menopausal symptoms.
Individualisation is key
Consideration should be given to the woman’s quality of life priorities as well as her personal risk factors such as age, time since menopause, risk of VTE, heart disease, stroke and breast cancer

24. Discussion of pros and cons
Individualised approach
Consider benefits; effect of symptoms on quality of life
Consider risks; take good history regarding risk of VTE, breast cancer, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and bowel cancer

25. HRT
The lowest dose of hormone therapy should be used for the shortest amount of time
Less than 5 years recommended for combined treatment
More flexibility with oestrogen alone (? Up to 10 years)

26. Investigations prior to starting HRT
Complete Hx and examination including PAP and mammogram
Bone Density on indication
TV USS if irregular bleeding or if risk factors for endometrial cancer
Re-evaluate in 4-8 weeks, then 6 monthly

27. Oestrogen administration
Bio-identical (oestrone, oestriol, oestradiol)
Synthetic (ethinyloestradiol, mestranol)
Non-steroidal estrogens (Diethylstilboestrol)
Phytoestrogens (Isoflavones, Lignans, Coumestans)
Oral, transdermal, vaginal, implants

28. HRT
Oral oestrogen may be more effective in treating symptoms of androgen excess (>SHBG)
Transdermal oestrogen may be more useful in women complaining of decreased libido, or women with relative risks for VTE, breast cancer or cardiac disease
Oestriol (ovestin) PV has preference over oestradiol (vagifem) in breast cancer survivors

29. Progestogen
Women with a uterus or who had previous endometriosis need endometrium protection by using a minimum of days per cycle of a progestogen
In the first months after menopause should be on cyclical therapy (to prevent break-through bleeding).

30. 1. Progestogens
Reduce the number and severity of hot flushes by up to 85%
Not recommended in breast cancer survivors with progestogen receptor positive markers
Similar list of warnings and contra-indications in product information as with oestrogen.
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (MPA) 10-20mg daily
Alternatively depo provera

31. 2. Clonidine
Delta-adrenergic drug originally developed to treat hypertension, relieves hot flushes by reducing peripheral vascular reactivity
Mean reduction 40% (placebo 30%)
S/e: orthostatic hypotension, headaches, fatigue, nausea, constipation, dry mouth
Should be avoided in women with significant depression

32. 3. Gabapentin
Used in treatment of epilepsy, migraine, tremor and neuropathic pain
50-60% of control of hot flushes (vs 30% placebo)
? Effect on hypothalamus with reduction in calcium currents
s/e light headedness, sleepiness and fatigue
Should be tapered down

33. 4. SSRI’s
Venlafaxine and paroxetine give 60-70% reduction in hot flushes.
Venlafaxine is preferred in tamoxifen users
s/e mastalgia, decreased sexual desire and functioning (due to increased prolactin levels)
In higher doses (clinical depression) can increase hot flushes
Need to be slowly titrated down

34. 5. Phytoestrogens
So far similar effects as placebo on menopausal symptoms
Dietary intake of isoflavones (high in asian diets, beans and peas)
Have estrogen-like biological activity
Soy products a major source of isoflavones
Need more studies to determine risk for osteoporosis, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease

35. 6. Steroids (Androgen Therapy)
There is a positive benefit to add back testosterone in some surgically or naturally menopausal women
Behavioural intervention also improves sexual function
Side effects
No known long term safety profile
None licensed in Australia

36. 6. Steroids (progesterone cream)
Some women report improvement in vasomotor symptoms, but no improvement on bone density
Minimal or no effectiveness in trials
Not able to protect endometrium

37. 7. Tibolone
STEARs – Selective Tissue Estrogenic Activity Regulators (oestrogenic, androgenic and progestogenic properties)
Less effective than conventional HRT in reducing hot flushes (Cochrane 2012)
Can be used to improve libido (but risk of VTE)
Not safe in breast cancer survivors (LIBERATE)
Does not need endometrium protection

38. 8. SERM Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator
Raloxifene ineffective in treatment of vasomotor symptoms
Can be used as alternative for prevention and management of osteoporosis
Tamoxifen can induce hot flushes in pre-menopausal patients

39. 9. Herbals - Black Cohosh
May work as a selective oestrogen receptor modulator, but may also exert an antagonistic effect on serotonin receptors
Has no proliferative effect on uterine or breast tissue
Most extensively studied alternative treatment
Significant reduction in vasomotor and psychological symptoms
Takes 2-3 weeks to show effect
Risk of adverse liver reaction
No long-term data

40. 9. Herbals - Wild Yam Minimal or no effectiveness
Initial belief was that wild yam could supply the body with progesterone
This process is not possible in humans

41. 9. Herbals - other
Evening primrose – may be effective for breast tenderness (not for flushes)
Cong quai, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, not better than placebo

42. 10. Bio-Identicals
Claim to be the same hormones as the body produces “natural HRT” and derived from plants
Made from fatty sterols which are found in yam and soy
It does alleviate menopausal symptoms
No RCT on risks
Natural progesterone might not be effective in endometrial protection

43. Therapeutic alternatives
Cardiovascular risk: lifestyle modifications (diet, non-smoking and exercise, BP and cholesterol control)
Flushes may be reduced with SSRIs, high dose progestogens, clonidine, gabapentin or herbals
Osteoporosis: calcium, exercise and bisphosphonates
Urogenital atrophy: vaginal moisturising preparations +/- topical oestrogens

44. Thank you
Questions?