[Hormone substitution in the female climacteric--goals, means, effects]

Traditional beliefs about climacteric symptoms and widespread imaginations about unwanted effects of estrogens in the pill have long been interfering with the recommendation of an early onset of effective replacement therapy. The somatic symptoms of rush or genital atrophia have later on been classified as hard evidence to justify a therapy, much more than the predominant psychic signs occurring in the postmenopausal years as mental depressions, decrease or lacking of libido, nervousness, insomnia. Those signs were neglected as weaker indications responding even to a placebo treatment. The present knowledge understands somatic and psychosomatic signs as an entiety, both being accessible to hormonal replacement therapy. 85% of the postmenopausal signs can effectively be treated with hormones. What is now known about atherosclerosis, lipid metabolism and osteoporosis in ageing woman adds further justification to even the prophylactic use of estrogens. Natural estrogens administered orally, transdermally or parenterally are the means of choice. The dosage might be tailored on the relief of symptoms (and afterwards reduced to a mere maintaining dosage), or given in a fixed cyclic regimen. The treatment cycle will be three or four weeks, a progestogen should be added for the last 12-14 days. Only one estrogen-androgen combination has survived (Gynodian). The transdermal application (in three different concentrations) with administration twice a week is in progress. Indications and contraindications for transdermal estrogens are similar to estrogens administered orally.