E5 Menopause Flashcards
what does menopause cause and who does it affect?
- amenorrhea (no menstruation for continuous 12 months)
- natural process of ageing (ovaries stop ovulating, significant loss of oestrogen)
- irreversible loss of fertility
- affects women from 45-50 (perimenopause, early stage of menopause before oestrogen levels are significantly low)
signs and symptoms of menopause
- irregular periods that eventually stop
- hot flushes / night sweats
- mood swings
- vaginal dryness
- brain fog
- weight gain
- osteoporosis
- chills
- night sweats
- loss of hair / thinning
- stress
- insomnia / loss of sleep
- depression
- anxiety
- midlife crisis
- reduced sense of wellbeing
- sexual dysfunction
what can vaginal dryness cause?
increased risk of infections
how long can menopause last? what is the average?
can last 1-10 years
average is 4 years
what are some other types of menopause?
- induced menopause
- premature menopause
- post menopause
what is induced menopause caused by?
- surgical removal of ovaries
- chemotherapy
what is premature menopause classified as?
women who enter menopause before turning 40
what is post menopause?
when the process is complete and symptoms decline
how is oestrogen kept at the correct level in the body? how does this change in the menopause and what does this mean?
- when oestrogen is released from the ovaries, there is a feedback loop to switch this off
- this keeps oestrogen at the correct level
- no more ovulation in menopause so oestrogen or progesterone being produced (negative feedback loop has been switched off)
- there is no signal for LH and FSH to be produced and released
in women from the age of 35-75, why do FSH and LH have peaks in their level?
- they have a lack of negative feedback
- they haven’t been switched off so they are responding to less oestrogen by increasing their own concentrations
describe hormone changes in premenopause
- has cyclic release and decrease of hormones during continuous menstrual cycles
- this includes LH surges and oestrogen with peaks and troughs to initiate ovulation and menstruation
describe hormone changes in perimenopause
progesterone levels are irregular and random which causes random periods
when is someone considered to be in the menopause stage?
after 12 months of no periods
when is someone considered to be postmenopause?
when the hormone levels are consistently low and all symptoms of menopause are gone
what complications are linked with menopause if it is left untreated?
- heart problems
- osteoporosis
- muscle weakness
- weight gain
- urinary problems
non-clinical management methods of menopause
- do nothing (allow nature to take its course)
- diet
- strength building exercises
- herbal treatments
- behavioural therapy
explain how diet can be a non-clinical management method of the menopause
if rich in vitamin C and D it can reduce risk of fractures
explain how strength building exercises can be a non-clinical management method of the menopause
- recovers loss of muscle function
- improves mood swings
explain how behavioural therapy can be a non-clinical management method of the menopause
coaching women in how to manage their symptoms and what to do if they are found to experience certain emotions
what SSPs were applied by the NHS due to the global shortage of HRT medication for menopause?
SSP = Serious Shortage Protocols
limit dispensation to 3 months
- after 3 months the patient would have to go back to refill their prescription
describe the shortages of specific menopause medications
- oestrogel has improved but other HRT products are still in short supply
describe the actions and effects of hormone-based therapy
- replaces oestrogen and progesterone (return to normal physiological levels of premenopausal level)
- improves loss of bone density and beneficial effects on urogenital tract (reduced risk of fractures and infections)
what are the 2 main types of HRT?
- combined HRT (oestrogen and progestogen)
- oestrogen-only HRT
what kinds of women get the 2 different types of HRT?
- combined is for women who still have their womb intact
- oestrogen-only is for women who have had their womb removed in a hysterectomy
