There is some new evidence, shown in the Danish HRT trial, that have recently been talked about.
The data were gathered by the Danish Dementia Research Centre, and they used a nationwide dataset that tracked 55,000 Danish women aged 50 – 60 over an 18-year period. The date shows a link between women who took HRT and an increased risk of dementia.
The research showed that women who used HRT, either cyclical or continuous, showed an increased risk of developing dementia in later life. There were a few issues to be considered. Firstly, the data that was gathered was observational, which means an opinion was formed on the research they had, and adjustments were made to try and get to the right answer. A more robust way of trialing data would be to decide on certain parameters and questions and then to put it actively to the test. Secondly, the type of HRT that most of the women on the trial used was called Kliovance, which is a medication that is taken by mouth, and includes oestradiol and norethisterone, a progestin, and is a synthetic HRT.
HRT similar to Kliovance, is not the most ideal treatment to use in managing the menopause, although used widely. At Meyer Clinic we never use Kliovance, and always opt for body-identical HRT replacement where possible.
There are many risk factors for dementia, and we need to remember that hot flashes, poor sleep and low mood, to name a few, are established risk factors for dementia.
The bottom line is that we need more research and not to get too focused on a single point of data. We need to understand personal risk, specifically towards dementia. Whether or not women who have an increased risk of dementia, has more menopausal symptoms, and therefor need more HRT, is a question that needs to be asked. Rather than saying HRT is the cause of an increased risk of dementia.
Women are entitled to be treated properly, and all risk factors considered. This is personalised medicine. There are a number of tests to help evaluate our personal risk more. These includes epigenetic DNA testing, and DUTCH testing. We also know that balancing our sugar and keeping our exercise regime up, are two of the main factors that can reduce risk of developing disease. That is why we believe in combining menopause consultations with consultations with our nutritionist.
Ask us for further information, Meyer Clinic is here for the whole journey.
Comments are closed.