[Menopause and its sequelae: an interdisciplinary syndrome]

Menopausal loss of ovarian estradiol production has numerous unfavourable effects on woman's health. Frequency and intensity of hot flushes mostly decline after some years. However, urogenital atrophy, incontinence, bone loss and rising risk for cardiovascular disease and probably for M. Alzheimer are of greatest importance as their incidence increases after menopause and because they play a major role in causing morbidity and mortality in elderly women. We discuss the pathophysiology of hot flushes, estradiol's effects on bone turnover, on the arterial vessel wall, on serum lipids and some aspects of estradiol action in the brain.