Menopause Flashcards
What is the technical definition of menopause?
12 consecutive months with no menstrual bleeding
What is perimenopause?
The period before menopause that is the transition from the reproductive to nonreproductive years, when ovarian estrogen fluctuate unpredictably
What is climacteric?
The time at which the changes of menopause occur
What happens to the menstrual cycle during the 4 years prior to menopause?
Irregularities
What is the average age of menopause?
51
What is the relationship between menopause and age of menarche? Race? Parity?
No relation to any of these
True or false: tobacco use causes earlier menopause
True
True or false: EtOH use causes earlier menopause
False–longer
What happens to the follicles with menopause?
Become resistant to FSH stimulation, causing the estrogen to fall
Why is it that estrogen levels do not fall completely once menopause hits?
Peripheral conversion and fat
What happens to progesterone production with menopause? What indicates this?
Stops production, causing PMS s/sx to disappear
Why is there an increased risk for endometrial hyperplasia with menopause?
Loss of progesterone together with a lack of estrogen loss
What happens to androgen production with menopause? SHBG? What is the significance of this?
Decreases
Increased testosterone could be causing hirsutism in some women
What happens to FSH and LH levels with menopause?
Increased drastically d/t lack of estrogen production
What are the s/sx of menopause?
- Oligomenorrhea
- Somatic and psych changes
What are the psych s/sx of menopause?
- Depression
- Anxiety and irritability
- Loss of libido
What are the “vasomotor instability” s/sx of menopause?
Changes in neurotransmittersr and prostaglandins cause SNS activation
“hot flashes”
What is the cardinal symptom of menopause? How often does this occur?
Hot flashes–75% of women
What neurotransmitter concentration changes with menopause?
5HT
What happens to sleep with menopause?
Decreased REM
What happens to short term memory with menopause?
Changes
What are the urologic s/sx of menopause?
Urinary frequency
Urgency
Nocturia