Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Hormone Replacement Student’s Name Institution Hormone Replacement Question 1 Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) aims to reduce the adverse effects and diverse symptoms associated with menopause (Coad & Dunstall, 2011). However, there are boundaries to its use that must be taken into consideration. According to Sood, Faubion, Kuhle, Thielen, & Shuster (2014), HRT reduces the severity and frequency of hot flushes and other common symptoms associated with menopause such as mood instability, disrupted sleep, and difficulty in concentrating. The authors point out that the risks and benefits of HRT vary depending on the age of the woman. For women below the age of 60 years, they derive significant benefits as HRT reduces the risk of osteoporotic fractures, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, as well as colorectal cancer (Sood et al, 2014; Marshall & Crosbie, 2018). Estrogen, according to Crooks & Baur (2014) increases sexual enjoyment and interest and helps in the prevention of urinary tract problems. In younger menopausal women, observational studies have shown that HRT reduces the risks of Alzheimer's dementia and may also protect against cognitive aging (Sood et al, 2014). As seen, there exist significant strengths associated with the use of HRT. There are however boundaries to the use of HRT. When HRT involves a combination of estrogen and progesterone, its use for more than 5 years increases breast cancer risk (Sood et al, 2014). When estrogen is used without progesterone, Crooks & Baur (2014) note that it increases the incidence of ovarian and endometrial cancer. The author also points out that progesterone alters types of fats in the bloodstream and heightens cardiovascular disease risk. According to Crooks & Baur (2014), while testosterone has not been approved by the FDA, it can be used to restore or maintain sexual arousal ...