Managing Menopause: Symptoms, Individualized Treatment & HRT

In this episode of the DUTCH Podcast, Dr Tori Hudson and Dr Smeaton discuss menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and its resurgence in recent years. Dr Hudson explains that HRT may be recommended for women experiencing significant quality of life symptoms related to perimenopause or menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, fatigue, and low libido. Dr Hudson also addresses the concerns raised by the influential Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in 2002, which showed increased risks of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer associated with HRT. However, re-examination of the WHI study found that the initial claims were misconstrued, and that the risks associated with HRT are relatively small and comparable to other lifestyle factors.

Dr Hudson and Dr Smeaton also discuss:

• Bioidentical hormones versus synthetic hormones
• The significance of finding providers with expertise in menopause management
• The importance of individualized treatment plans