HRT to the Rescue: Reprieve for Women With Gall Bladder Disease

Experts now suggest that ‘Hormone Replacement Therapy’ (HRT) patches can be a boon to postmenopausal women by lowering the risk of gall bladder disease in them.

Hormone replacement therapy is known to increase gallbladder problems, which require surgery to remove the organ.

What is Menopause?
Menopause is defined as the state of permanent cessation of menstrual cycles (periods) for 12-months.

A team of Oxford University researchers found that the rate of operations for women who used HRT patches was significantly lower than those taking pills.

The gallbladder is a small organ, attached to the base of the liver, which stores and concentrates bile, a substance which helps the body digest fat.

In the study of more than one million post-menopausal women, the researchers found that nearly 20,000 women admitted to hospital with gallbladder disease, and more than 17,000 of these underwent a surgery.

Gallstones
Interactive section of Medindia explains about Gallstones

The hospital admission rates for patch-wearers were only 30 pct higher than for those who did not take HRT, while the rates for pill-users were nearly twice.

According to the researchers, while the liver next to gallbladder, mostly breaks down hormone oestrogen taken in pill form before entering the circulation, the lower doses in the patch are absorbed directly through the skin into the bloodstream.

Gall Bladder Successfully Removed Without Outer Incisions
According to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals a woman's gall bladder was successfully removed by French surgeons through her vagina.

Dr David Sturdee, from the International Menopause Society, said he was "surprised" by the high numbers of women found by the study to be suffering gallbladder problems.

"It's not a problem that many women are aware of," BBC quoted him as saying.

Risk of Gallbladder Disease With HRT Patches Lower Than With HRT Pills
Use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases the risk of gallbladder disease but the effects are less with HRT given in skin patches or gels compared with HRT given orally - Study

"Many opt for the pills because they are simpler, cheaper and because some women find that they cannot tolerate the patches due to skin irritation."

The team predicted that over a five-year period if women taking HRT pills switched over to patches, it would reduce the number of gallbladder removal operation taking place.

Source-ANI
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