Originally published January 12 2006
Drug report claims menopause drugs do more harm than good
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to a new report from Consumer Report's "Best Buy Drugs," drugs taken to relieve the symptoms of menopause pose greater threats than the symptoms they relieve, prompting the researchers to advise that most women should avoid taking them.
While medicines containing the female hormones estrogen and progestin are highly effective at reducing the symptoms of menopause, risks associated with taking them outweigh the benefits for most women, according to a new report from Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs.
It's the latest in a series of reports that compares commonly used prescription drugs on effectiveness, safety and price.
Studies evaluated for the Best Buy Drugs report show that between 70 percent and 90 percent of women who have hot flashes or night sweats experience an average 75 percent reduction in these symptoms within a few months of taking hormones medicines.
The drugs also effectively reduce vaginal dryness and help with sleep disturbances.
Hormone treatment, however, increases the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots, stroke, urinary incontinence and dementia.
Although the increased risk is relatively small, it adds on to already-existing risk factors for tens of millions of women.
For example, a woman who has high blood pressure and diabetes is already at elevated risk for heart attack and stroke.
Similarly, a woman who has high cholesterol and a family history of early heart disease and breast cancer would add to existing elevated risk if she took hormones.
For that reason, the report recommends that the vast majority of women who have an elevated risk of heart disease, stroke, or cancer of the breast, ovaries, or uterus not take hormones.
The reports states for such women, hormone treatment may be warranted.
Hormones should not be used at all, the report says, to treat mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, mental lapses, forgetfulness, cognitive difficulties, reduced libido, urinary incontinence, back pain, chronic pain, joint pain, stiffness, or fatigue.
The creams and FemRing are used primarily to treat vaginal dryness.
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