UPDATE: MENOPAUSE

Some questions are answered (and some can’t be answered) here about oophorectomy at hysterectomy; nonhormonal agents to ease vasomotor symptoms; and menopausal bone loss

Dr. Kaunitz is Professor and Associate Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine–Jacksonville. He serves on the OBG Management Board of Editors.

Dr. Kaunitz reports that he receives research funding (paid to University of Florida Research Foundation) from Barr (Teva), Bayer, Ortho (Johnson & Johnson), Medical Diagnostic Laboratories, Organon, and Procter & Gamble. He is a speaker or consultant for Barr, Bayer, Ortho, Merck, Noven, Organon, and Procter & Gamble and holds stock in Becton Dickinson and Sanofi-Aventis.

Baby Boomers have transformed attitudes toward many aspects of aging. Menopause is no exception. Once a taboo topic, menopause is now openly discussed among women who seek information about vasomotor symptoms, hormones and their alternatives, and ways to maintain health as they move past midlife. ObGyns are treating more and more of these women, and fielding their many questions.

In this Update, I examine recent data on three important aspects of menopause:

• how to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease among women who enter menopause surgically, through oophorectomy

• what to offer women who ask for nonhormonal relief from vasomotor symptoms

• a new drug on the horizon to combat osteoporosis.