Hormone Replacement Therapy Pros and Cons List

Hormone replacement therapy is a complicated treatment. There are contrarian views and even studies with quite conflicting inferences. The problem lies in some claiming hormone replacement therapy to be an ideal treatment for a horde of medical conditions. The FDA and the more credible section of the medical fraternity do not endorse such standpoints.

Hormone replacement therapy is used for symptoms of menopause. The typical symptoms are vaginal dryness, hot flashes, sleep problems, night sweats and mood swings. Hormone replacement therapy has also been proven to be effective in curing or managing the severity of osteoporosis. Beyond these two medical conditions, hormone replacement therapy has not been proven to be effective. Hence, if you are being told that a certain condition can be cured, be sure to check the legitimacy of such claims. Hormone replacement therapy, like other treatments, has certain pros and cons.

List of Pros of Hormone Replacement Therapy

1. Hormone replacement therapy is widely considered as the absolute best treatment for the symptoms of menopause.
If the symptoms are severe, which would be inevitable at a point in time, then antidepressants and other drugs don’t really help. Many women begin with such medicines but they are unable to deal with the postmenopausal or the perimenopausal symptoms. There are many ways to deal with each and every symptom directly but that is taxing on the wallet and substantially unviable for most women. Hormone replacement therapy is a holistic treatment that takes care of all the severe symptoms.

2. Hormone replacement therapy has been proven to be very effective against osteoporosis.
Women who have weakening bones or deteriorating bone health can prevent the same and can have stronger bones. Osteoporosis can be managed and even prevented with the help of hormone replacement therapy.

List of Cons of Hormone Replacement Therapy

1. The risk associated with hormone replacement therapy is substantial.
It can increase the chances of uterine cancer, women at risk of cardiovascular diseases or having cardiac problems may be more vulnerable to a heart attack, even a stroke. Women who have a history of breast cancer, stroke, cardiac problems or even blood clots are not suitable patients for hormone replacement therapy.

2. Hormone replacement therapy is recommended as a treatment for menopausal symptoms and only then should it be used for osteoporosis.
Many doctors recommend the therapy for osteoporosis among women who are not suffering from the menopausal symptoms but that is not recommended by the FDA.