But we know that, under some circumstances, hormone therapy can be appropriate for women over age 65, such as those instances when the benefits of treating hot flashes outweigh the risks or when a woman has a high risk of bone fractures and can't take other bone drugs or can't withstand their side effects.”
It is not common to start hormone therapy for bone health at or after the age of 60. By the age of 60, arteries are generally stiffer and women at this age are more at risk of cardiovascular disease, hence commencing hormone therapy may increase their risk of cardiovascular disease or events.
There is very little evidence regarding starting HRT for older women because this research has not been undertaken. However, most women who are otherwise fit and well do still gain benefits from taking HRT even if it has been more than 10 years since their menopause.
Using hormone therapy in women ages 65 and older remains controversial. There is limited data in this population, but some research says that women shouldn't be starting the therapy after the age of 60. However, hormone therapies offer bone protection, which opens the door discussion on usage.
The International Menopause Society guidelines recommend that if menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is prescribed, it be commenced before the age of 60, or within 10 years of menopause.
There is good news for older women age who are experiencing menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. You can safely get relief with hormone therapy (HT), according to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
There is no specific age cut-off for starting HRT.
There's no limit on how long you can take HRT, but talk to a GP about how long they recommend you take the treatment. Most women stop taking it once their menopausal symptoms pass, which is usually after a few years.
However, a Mayo Clinic study found that many women experience hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood changes and other menopause symptoms beyond mid-life and into their 60s, 70s and even their 80s.
Is it safe to take progesterone after menopause? Yes, it is generally safe to take progesterone after menopause. However, as with any medication, some women may experience certain side effects. Your likelihood of experiencing these side effects, as well as the type and intensity, vary depending on several factors.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Clonidine. Clonidine is a prescription medicine that can help reduce hot flushes and night sweats in some menopausal women. It's taken as tablets 2 or 3 times a day. It does not affect hormone levels, so unlike HRT it does not carry an increased risk of problems such as breast cancer.
For postmenopausal women generally, the benefits of ERT--preventing osteoporotic fractures, reducing heart disease, decreasing mortality, and possibly reducing risk of Alzheimer's disease-out-weigh the risks of endometrial and breast cancers.
However, most women who are otherwise fit and well do still gain benefits from taking HRT even if it has been more than 10 years since their menopause. You may decide to start HRT now because your symptoms have worsened, or you were expecting them to have gone by now but they haven't.
Women who begin hormone therapy at age 60 or older or more than 10 years from the onset of menopause are at greater risk of the above conditions. But if hormone therapy is started before the age of 60 or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits appear to outweigh the risks.
HRT initiated before the age of 60 or within 10 years of the menopause is likely to be associated with a reduction in coronary heart disease and cardiovascular mortality. If HRT is to be used in women over 60 years of age, lower doses should be started, preferably with a transdermal route of estradiol administration.
When people hear "hot flash," they generally think of menopause. This is the time in a woman's life when her period stops. While women typically experience menopause in the 40s or 50s, a large number of women can experience hot flashes not only during menopause but well into their 60s, 70s, and even 80s.
Hot flashes in elderly adults are caused by a decrease in estrogen levels which affects the body's thermostat. Generally, hot flashes are associated with menopause.
By supplementing your body's natural hormone levels, HRT can help you maintain a more youthful body composition. While this effect is particularly evident in men, research suggests that women can also benefit. HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look.
Benefits of HRT
The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most menopausal symptoms, such as: hot flushes. night sweats. mood swings.
HRT was associated with increased risk of faecal incontinence, fibroids, gallbladder disease and gallstones, hearing loss, joint swelling, rheumatoid arthritis, and urinary incontinence (68,69,97,112–116).
Hormone replacement therapy
For example, some studies of women who were already using HRT during menopause found that their risk of dementia was lower than those not on HRT. However, other studies found no strong evidence for this. There is some evidence that HRT may even increase dementia risk.
Estrogen deficiency following menopause results in atrophic skin changes and acceleration of skin aging. Estrogens significantly modulate skin physiology, targeting keratinocytes, fibroblasts, melanocytes, hair follicles and sebaceous glands, and improve angiogenesis, wound healing and immune responses.