Skin patches containing natural oestrogens are often prescribed to women who experience troublesome nausea and vomiting while taking oestrogen in pill form, or who are at risk of blood clot formation or high blood pressure from oral oestrogen therapy. In the US, where patches have been used for longer than in Australia, this is the method for about 40 per cent of women taking oestrogen after menopause.
They are transparent, come in a range of sizes depending on dosage (see page 176), and are applied to the abdomen, buttock or upper arm twice a week (for example, Monday morning and Thursday night).
Patches containing combinations of oestrogen and progestogen are also becoming available in an increasing number of countries, though not in Australia at the time of writing. The small and relatively constant doses of hormone released from patches and absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream more closely resemble the oestrogen and progesterone secretions of the body than do hormones taken in pill form.
Studies have confirmed their effectiveness in significantly reducing hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and urinary symptoms. Preliminary findings of other studies indicate that patches maintain bone density and reduce fracture rates, although long-term studies are needed to confirm this. There is also evidence that patches increase blood flow to the major blood vessels of the heart, but it is too early to say whether this translates to reduced rates of heart disease and heart attack. Major advantages of the patches, compared with HRT pills, are their low rate of gastro-intestinal, bowel- and liver-related side effects, including blood pressure changes and blood clot abnormalities.
*30\38\8*
Related Posts:
Tags: Hormonal
Tags: Hormonal