TY - JOUR
T1 - Counseling postmenopausal women about bioidentical hormones
T2 - Ten discussion points for practicing physicians
AU - Sood, Richa
AU - Shuster, Lynne
AU - Smith, Robin
AU - Vincent, Ann
AU - Jatoi, Aminah
PY - 2011/3
Y1 - 2011/3
N2 - Bioidentical hormones are compounds that have exactly the same chemical and molecular structure as endogenous human hormones. In contrast, nonbioidentical, or synthetic, hormones are structurally dissimilar from endogenous hormones. Although available for years, bioidentical compounded hormone therapy (BCHT) has gained popularity in the United States only recently. This popularity has paralleled women's rising fears of conventional hormone therapy, especially since the publication of the Women's Health Initiative clinical trials. Although BCHT offers advantages, it is not the panacea of hormone therapy. The claims that BCHT lowers the risk of breast cancer, coronary artery disease, stroke, or thromboembolism are not supported by scientific research. The goal of this review is to present an overview of the available research evidence on BCHT, dispel myths about the use of compounded hormones, and provide helpful tips to answer commonly asked questions about BCHT.
AB - Bioidentical hormones are compounds that have exactly the same chemical and molecular structure as endogenous human hormones. In contrast, nonbioidentical, or synthetic, hormones are structurally dissimilar from endogenous hormones. Although available for years, bioidentical compounded hormone therapy (BCHT) has gained popularity in the United States only recently. This popularity has paralleled women's rising fears of conventional hormone therapy, especially since the publication of the Women's Health Initiative clinical trials. Although BCHT offers advantages, it is not the panacea of hormone therapy. The claims that BCHT lowers the risk of breast cancer, coronary artery disease, stroke, or thromboembolism are not supported by scientific research. The goal of this review is to present an overview of the available research evidence on BCHT, dispel myths about the use of compounded hormones, and provide helpful tips to answer commonly asked questions about BCHT.
KW - Bioidentical
KW - Hormone therapy
KW - Hot flashes
KW - Menopause
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79952549205&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79952549205&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3122/jabfm.2011.02.100194
DO - 10.3122/jabfm.2011.02.100194
M3 - Review article
C2 - 21383221
AN - SCOPUS:79952549205
SN - 1557-2625
VL - 24
SP - 202
EP - 210
JO - Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
JF - Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
IS - 2
ER -