Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the solution to relieve the consequences of menopause by increasing the levels of estrogen in females. Its types include combined HRT and estrogen-only HRT for women after hysterectomy, while females receive it through the gel, skin patches, or tablets. This intervention is associated with several health and ethical considerations, meaning that every patient weighs HRT’s benefits and drawbacks before making a medical decision.
The patient benefitting from HRT is a healthy woman near the onset of menopause without a health history of heart strokes and experiencing severe hot flashes, dryness, or burning. Considering that hormone therapies are associated with high risks of causing heart disease, strokes, or even blood clots, women who have already faced such issues throughout their life should not be allowed to receive HRT (Cagnacci & Venier, 2019). Moreover, females should not have intact uteri because such patients might develop heart diseases and breast cancer after receiving conjugated equine estrogens. This finding illustrates that the female should consider her health condition and previous research studies to avoid developing cancer when the HRT’s risks outweigh its advantages.
Regarding the risks and benefits of using HRT for this patient, the latter outweighs the former. The primary concern around HRT utilization is the risk of developing breast cancer and enhancing the placebo effect after receiving the therapy for more than five years (Cagnacci & Venier, 2019). The patient’s severe hot flashes are associated with more significant aortic calcification, possibly affecting her safety by causing cardiovascular diseases. In order to address these risks and ensure safety, the patient is prescribed only estrogen tablets with a moderate dose. Therefore, the HRT’s advantages for her are avoiding menopause symptoms, increased bone thickness, and more energy during the day. If the patient regularly visits health screenings and minimizes the dose, she has more chances to benefit from the HRT.
To conclude, HRT is a medical therapy causing many controversial findings and public opinions regarding its effectiveness. It harms some females by causing heart strokes and cancer while benefiting others by relieving menopausal symptoms. Age and health history are the primary issues to consider before prescribing the patient hormone therapy. It is significant that women make informed medical decisions after carefully researching and analyzing their health conditions.
Reference
Cagnacci, A., & Venier, M. (2019). The controversial history of hormone replacement therapy. Medicina, 55(9), 602–613. Web.
