Extended Use of Systemic Menopausal Hormone Therapy

Area of Science:

• Menopause management
• Endocrinology
• Women's health

Background:

• Long-term clinical trial data on hormone therapy (HT) use beyond 10 years is scarce.
• Determining the optimal duration of systemic HT for menopausal women remains a clinical challenge.
• Clinicians frequently face decisions regarding extended HT use in practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide evidence-based guidance for clinicians on the extended use of systemic hormone therapy (HT).
• To address the controversy surrounding HT duration in menopausal women.
• To support clinical decision-making for patients considering long-term HT.

Main Methods:

• Review of available clinical evidence.
• Incorporation of clinical experience.
• Guidance development for extended systemic HT use.

Main Results:

• Limited long-term data necessitates a pragmatic approach to HT duration.
• Clinical judgment and available evidence are key to guiding extended HT use.
• A framework for managing patients on long-term HT is presented.

Conclusions:

• Extended hormone therapy (HT) use requires careful consideration due to data limitations.
• Clinicians can utilize available evidence and experience to guide long-term HT decisions.
• This guidance aims to support safe and effective management of menopausal symptoms with extended HT.