Risk and benefits of menopausal hormonal therapy

Balan V.E., Andreeva E.N., Yureneva S.V., O.N. Tkacheva, Ilyukhin E.A.

1) Moscow Regional Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Minzdrav of Russia, Moscow, Russia; 2) National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology of Minzdrav of Russia, Moscow, Russia; 3) V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology of Minzdrav of Russia, Moscow, Russia; 4) N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of Minzdrav of Russia, Russian Clinical and Research Center of Gerontology, Moscow, Russia; 5) Medical centers Reaclinic, St. Petersburg, Russia
The safety of menopausal hormone replacement therapy (MHT) has long been of great interest to a wide range of medical professionals. Currently, there is an abundance of research evidence for the benefits and harms of MHT. Still, it is often the subject of misrepresentation and wrong generalizations regarding risks that continue to form a distorted perception of MHT. Often there is a tendency to overestimate the harms, causing unnecessary and unwarranted concern among doctors and patients. This review provides an analysis of available research evidence for the association between MHT and the risk of developing venous thromboembolism and breast cancer. The issues of managing cardiometabolic risk in postmenopausal women, tailoring treatment for individual patients, and the duration of MHT are also covered. A complete analysis of harm-benefit tradeoffs of MHT tailored for a particular woman should include an assessment of vasomotor symptoms and quality of life, potential beneficial effects of MHT on overall health, including cardiovascular and bone health, prevention of osteoporotic fractures, cognitive impairment, etc.

Keywords

menopausal hormone therapy
venous thromboembolism
breast cancer
postmenopause
quality of life

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Received 05.02.2020

Accepted 07.02.2020

About the Authors

Vera E. Balan, MD, PhD, professor, Moscow Regional Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology GBUZ MO MONIIAG. +7 (495) 625-05-38,
E-mail: balanmed@gmail.com. 101000 Russia, Moscow, Pokrovka Street 22 A.
Elena N. Andreeva, MD, PhD, Professor, Director of The Institute for Reproductive Medicine FSBI «National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology»
Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. Phone: +7(495) 500-00-90. E-mail: endogin@mail.ru. 117036 Moscow, 11, Dmitriya Ulyanova Street.
Svetlana V. Yureneva, MD, PhD, professor, FSBI «National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology named after Academician V.I.Kulakov» Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. Phone: +7(495) 531–44–44. E-mail: syureneva@gmail.com. 117997 Russian Federation, Moscow, 4, Oparina street.
Olga N. Tkacheva, MD, PhD, professor, Director of the Russian Clinical and Research Center of Gerontology Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University.
Phone: +7 (499)187-64-67. 129226 Russian Federation, Moscow, 16, 1st Leonova street.
Evgeny A. Ilyukhin, PhD, Reaclinic medical center, phlebology department. Phone: +7 (812)385-58-09. E-mail: iluhin-e@yandex.ru
197341, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Kolomyazhsky ave.28

For citation: Balan V.E., Andreeva E.N., Yureneva S.V., O.N. Tkacheva, Ilyukhin E.A. Risk and benefits of menopausal hormonal therapy.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/ Obstetrics and gynecology. 2020; 3. 33-41.(In Russian).
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2020.3.33-41

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