Assignment: Pharmacologic and Nonpharmacologic

NOW F OR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT:Assignment: Pharmacologic and Nonpharmacologic.

This phase of life is shrouded with lots of myths and taboos. Early recognition of symptoms can help in reduction of discomfort and fears among the women. It is important to know the symptomatology and reasons for menopause.

The prevalence of post-menopausal symptoms varies from women to woman with the mean age of onset being approximately 48 – 49 years. There are many misunderstandings regarding menopausal symptoms among even the most educated of women, but creating awareness by disseminating health education for postmenopausal women is of prime importance. Health workers may be most useful in this area. When teaching patients about menopause, we should emphasize it’s a normal event with varying symptoms, which can be managed effectively through various pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies. As appropriate, follow up with them by telephone to assess the effectiveness of management, help validate their concerns, and provide additional support. Finally, stay up-to-date on the current literature on menopause and women’s health so you can be sure you’re using an evidence-based approach when counseling and educating women

The degree of discomfort from symptoms should guide discussions about treatment. Moderate dose estrogen-containing hormone therapy (HT) is currently the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and also improves vaginal dryness. The indication for HT is moderate to severe VMS in women without contraindications. It should not be prescribed or continued for the treatment of chronic disease. Gentro-urinary symptoms can effectively be treated with vaginal (topical) estrogens. The dose, delivery system and duration of treatment for HT should be individualised to relieve symptoms. For most healthy women aged 50–59 years, the risks of HT are low. Several widely available non-hormonal agents can treat VMS for those who should avoid or do not wish to take estrogen. These include selected antidepressants and gaba-agonists (Roberts, H., & Hickey, M. (2016).