Menopause Flashcards
What is the median age of menopause?
median age of 51.3 years; usually 45-52 y/o
- Avg. age onset of perimenopause-46 yrs usually 40-49 years-old
- Duration of perimenopause- 5 yrs (2-8 years avg for 95% of women)
Menopause prior to age 40; Occurs more frequently with an autoimmune disorder such as hypothyroidism, Graves’ disease, or lupus. Or if mother or sister experienced premature menopause.
Premature menopause
- Once process has started – unlikely to be reversed
- Women that have unsuccessfully tried to become pregnant for more than a year should be evaluated
- Best blood test is FSH– increases with menopause
Women in 40’s- menstrual cycles increase in length, anovulation occurs more often, and______ become less sensitive to hormonal stimulation from FSH.
Without stimulation and release of ovum, ______ is not produced by corpus luteum.
_________ levels become elevated due to attempt to stimulate a follicle to produce estrogen.
ovulation; Progesterone; Follicule Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- irregularity in menstural cycle is first sign of perimenopausal symtoms
- smoking and non-bering women have earlier menopause
What are physical changes seen in menopause?
- Bleeding – Changes related to decreased corpus luteum functioning; Periods come very close together, Heavy bleeding, Spotting, Periods last more than a week
- Genital Changes – atrophy of vagina and urethra due to decreased estrogen; Decreased vaginal lubrication, thinning of vaginal tissue.
Less problems if sexually active; Can cause urinary frequency, dysuria, uterine prolapse, stress incontinence r/t decreased size of uterus, vulva, and urethra; Increased risk of UTI due to shortened urethra. - Vasomotor instability (Hot flashes & night sweats) - can occur 20-50x per day
What are ways to manage hot flashes?
- Dress in layers, and remove some when feeling a flash starting
- Use a fan in home or workplace.
- Try taking slow, deep breaths when a hot flash starts.
- If client is still having periods, low-dose oral contraceptives may help.
- Hormone Therapy or other medications used for epilepsy, depression, and high BP
- Transition from normal ovulatory cycles to cessation of menses with irregular cycles.
- Common symptoms:
Hot flashes, decreased libido, insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, irritability, depression - True menopause has not occurred until complete cessation of menses for 12 months
Perimenopause
term used to describe perimenopause through menopause – the whole transition
Climacentric
The cause of most menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms is a deficiency in what hormone?
Estrogen
- Both estrogen and progesterone, but estrogen is the overriding problem
Menopause refers to what event?
Complete cessation of menses for 12 months
What medications are used for hot flashes?
- Antidepressants: (SSRIs and SNRIs) like Paxil, Prozac, Effexor, and Celexa
- Neurontin: used for seizures and neuropathic pain
- _(ACE, ARBs?)__: used for high BP
Why do women have memory problems during menopause?
They don’t..
- No evidence of decr mental health
- due to insomnia and cultural perceptions
When is the greatest bone loss?
1st 5-6 yrs
Why is there increased risk of coronary heart disease following menopause?
- Estrogen has favorable effect on lipids and has anti-atherosclerotic effect on arteries.
- Postmenopausal women
Increased risk due to changes in lipid metabolism - decreased HDL and increased LDL - These lipid changes can be reversed by diet and exercise
Why did the Women’s Health Initiative study of combination progesterone-estrogen arm was halted in 2002?
participants were experiencing increased risk of invasive breast cancer
When discussing estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) with a perimenopausal woman, education includes the risk of:
breast cancer
