Menopause and Perimenopause Flashcards
Provider Role for Midlife Women
- Empower each woman to make healthy, positive life choices
- Assist women to assess her individual health status, strengths, risks, etc.
- Help each woman listen to her wisdom
- Provide updated, accurate information
- Advocate ongoing research issues facing women
Estrogen Functions
- Female sex characteristics
- 400+ receptor sites in body
- Increases NO, dilating blood vessels and mediating vasoactive effects of angiotensin
- Improves HDL, lowers total and LDL
- Improves CHO metabolism
- Mediates serotonin release and inhibits uptake of norepi
- Increases growth of new dendrites and new synapses
- Increases production of acetyltransferase leading to acetylcholine
- Inhibits MAO
- Regulates sleep centers
- Enhances concentration
- Maintains bone density, skin, and hair
Estrogens Native to Women (Bioidentical)
- Estrone (E1): Dominant post-menopausal
- Estradiol (E2): Dominant pre-menopausal; activates alpha and beta
- Estriol (E3): Highest in pregnancy; antagonizes stimulation by stimulating beta
- Estrogens effects by 2 mechanisms:
- Alpha: Promotes cell proliferation; may be contributing factors to some cancers
- Beta: Inhibits breast cell prolieration
Effects of Progesterone
- regulates menstrual flow
- Stabilizes lining o uterus to allow for implantation of embryo
- Decreases intestinal motility
- Bone building
- Calming, sedating
- Can balance estrogen
Effects of testosterone
- Enhances libido and mood
- Increases energy, lean body muscle, and bone density
- Decreases fat
Definition: Perimenopause
- Period of fluctuating hormonal changes 5-15yrs before menopause
Early Perimenopause
- Longer/heavier cycles
- Often more frequent
Late Perimenopause
- Skipped periods
- Shorter/lighter
Premature menopause
- <40yo
Early Menopause
- <45yo
Effects of Perimenopause on Cycles
- fertility decreases with age but birth control still essential
- High unintended pregnancy rate
- Impact on childbearing choices
- Fibroids: Effects on bleeding; only a problem if they cause bleeding or big enough to cause bulk symptoms or pressure
Balance upset in perimenopause
- Can be higher E2/lower P
- Can be lower E2/higher P
- Can have both low
- Testosterone becomes more dominant as E2 decreases -> can lead to increased acne, facial hair, ABD fat
Severity of symptoms from hormonal changes
- Rate of decline in hormones affects severity of symptoms
- Surgery vs. natural
Symptoms of decreased ovarian functions: Vasomotor Instability
- Caused by decreased estrogen
- Hot flashes (sensation)
- Hot flushes (redness, diaphoresis)
- Night sweats
- Palpitations
Symptoms of decreased ovarian functions: Sleep disruption
- Caused by decreased estrogen
- Leads to low serotonin
- Decreased REM sleep/deep sleep
Symptoms of decreased ovarian functions: Vaginal changes
- atrophy of skin
- decreased moisture
- dyspareunia
- pH more alkaline -> more UTIs
Symptoms of decreased ovarian functions: skin
- dryness
- sagging
- Increased central fat deposition
Symptoms of decreased ovarian functions: Mood
- Increased risk of depressive/anxiety symptoms
Symptoms of decreased ovarian functions: Others
- Fuzzy thinking
- Worsening PMS
- Energy level changes: up or down
- Sexual responses: decreased orgasmic response; increase or decrease libido
- joint pains/achiness
- Increased incontinence (may be due to general aging and obesity)
- decreased bone formation / increased resorption
- Increased cholesterol: Up LDL, Down HDL
- Increased BP
- Increased pain syndromes (fibromyalgia)
- Increased CAD
- Decreased muscle strength
Factors to consider in deciding whether to Rx HRT
- Know medical Hx: Breast Ca
- reasons for choosing
- balance risks and benefits
- make patients know all options
- doesn’t have to be right decision for always, may be reversed