There is Light at the end of the tunnel for HRT therapy. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada have allowed HRT for treatment of symptoms of menopause, vouching its safety.
Dr. Jennifer Blake, who chaired this debate, has said that, this would be a reprieve for women who have been utterly confused about the side-effects of HRT, reported in 2002, which suggested that HRT could increase the risk of breast cancer. heart attack or stroke. 'So we have women who are very concerned. They are highly symptomatic and they are afraid that if they take something for their symptoms that they are going to cause themselves harm,' said Blake, head of women's health and the chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Dr Blake further went on to confirm, 'We know women can safely use hormone therapy for the time they are symptomatic.'Based on findings reported in 2002, many women simply stopped resorting to HRT, that directly nose-dived HRT sales , touching abysmally low figures of 5.9 million prescriptions in Canada in 2005 as compared to 12,6 million in 2001, according to the figures reported by IMS health ,a company that reads sales figures of drugs in Canada.
This study specifically outlines the benefits that lifestyle choices can have in mitigating perceived risks of taking HRT treatment, such as delayed child birth, sedentary lifestyles and smoking.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have offered a guideline to health-care professionals to consider hormone therapy as a very effective option to treat symptoms of menopause. Symptoms could include hot flashes, night sweats and mood changes, suggesting that the drugs be administered at an effective but low dosage for the right duration. Prolonged use of HRT is to be done only after proper counseling. Health care providers have been advised to encourage healthy lifestyle options amongst patients, and never to resort to HRT for prevention of heart disease or dementia
