Top Tips
February 2016
Ten key points from NICE guideline
(National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - NICE)
- Women should have access to evidence based information about menopause and treatment options to help them make informed, individual decisions about menopause management
- Blood tests should not be used to diagnose perimenopause or menopause in women aged over 45
- HRT should be offered for menopause related vasomotor symptoms and low mood
- Clonidine or antidepressants should not be routinely offered for menopausal symptoms
- vaginal estrogen should be offered for urogenital symptoms, even if HRT is also taken, and continued long term
- Women should have access to specialist services when:
- treatments do not improve menopausal symptoms
- side effects persist
- concern from medical history about use of HRT
- The decision to stop HRT should be made by each woman when she feels is the right time for her; she should not be given arbitrary limits on duration of HRT. When stopping HRT can be stopped gradually or suddenly
- HRT does not increase risk of cardiovascular disease when started in women under age 60
- Any increase in breast cancer risk is related to treatment duration and reduces after HRT is stopped, with HRT promoting tumour growth rather than causing tumour
- Women with Premature Ovarian insufficiency should be offered hormonal treatment up to average age of menopause at least