When Treating Women with Menopause, One Size Doesn’t Fit All: National Endocrinology Association Releases Updates, New Recommendations for Menopause Treatment Options
07-11-2017

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (July 11, 2017) – When it comes to treating women with menopause, one size doesn’t fit all, says Dr. Rhoda H. Cobin, lead author of a new Position Statement on Menopause—2017 Update, published in the July 2017 issue of Endocrine Practice, by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American College of Endocrinology (ACE).  

“AACE feels it is important to emphasize that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to treating women with menopause,” said Dr. Cobin, a Past President of AACE and a member of its Reproductive Endocrinology Scientific Committee. “Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) must be individualized based on a woman’s age, time of onset of menopause and other cardiovascular, metabolic and genetic factors. These new updates highlight and review critical new literature which provides insight into important issues in menopause care and brings healthcare providers and their patients evidence-based recommendations for the use of HRT and other treatments for menopausal symptoms.”

The Position Statement on Menopause—2017 Update revises the previous menopause clinical practice guidelines published in 2011, and includes reviews of clinical trials since then as well as new information about potential risks and benefits of therapies used to treat menopausal symptoms.

“These new recommendations to AACE’s menopause clinical guidelines are the latest examples of AACE taking the lead in improving and setting the expectations for high quality standard of care for our patients,” said AACE President Dr. Jonathan D. Leffert.

In addition to individualizing HRT therapy for each woman, other new recommendations include:

  • Recommendation: The use of transdermal as compared with oral estrogen preparations may be considered less likely to produce thrombotic risk and perhaps the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease;
  • Recommendation: When progesterone is necessary, micronized progesterone is considered the safer alternative;
  • Recommendation: In women with symptomatic menopausal symptoms and who are at significant risk from the use of HRT, the use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and possibly other non-hormonal agents may offer significant symptom relief;    
  • Recommendation: AACE does not recommend the use of bioidentical hormone therapy;
  • Recommendation: AACE confirms that certain Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are contraindicated in breast cancer patients taking Tamoxifen
  • Recommendation: HRT is not recommended for the prevention of diabetes;
  • Recommendation: In women diagnosed with diabetes, the use of HRT should be individualized, taking into account age, metabolic and cardiovascular risks.

“The updated Position Statement on Menopause demonstrates AACE’s commitment to individualizing our guidelines as much as current science permits for the betterment of patient care,” said American College of Endocrinology (ACE) President Dr. R. Mack Harrell.   

To read the entire Position Statement on Menopause—2017 Update, visit: https://www.aace.com/files/position-statements/ep171828ps.pdf.

To request an interview with Dr. Cobin, please contact Joy Batteh-Freiha at [email protected].

About the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) represents more than 6,500 endocrinologists in the United States and abroad and is the largest professional association of clinical endocrinologists in the world. The majority of AACE members are certified in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism and concentrate on the treatment of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders including diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, growth hormone deficiency, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity. Visit our site at www.aace.com. 

About the American College of Endocrinology (ACE)

The American College of Endocrinology (ACE) is the educational and scientific arm of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). ACE is the leader in advancing the care and prevention of endocrine and metabolic disorders by: providing professional education and reliable public health information; recognizing excellence in education, research and service; promoting clinical research and defining the future of Clinical Endocrinology. For more information, visit www.aace.com/college.