Abstract
Hot flashes have typically been classified as "symptoms of menopause" that should be tolerated or treated until they resolve. However, mounting evidence points to hot flashes as a manifestation of one or several underlying pathophysiological processes. Associations exist between the presence, timing of onset, severity, and duration of hot flashes, and the risk of several neurological (affecting sleep, mood, and cognition) and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, four consistent patterns of vasomotor disturbances have been identified across different countries, making it unlikely that these patterns are solely explained by socioeconomic or cultural factors. The changing hormonal environment of menopause may unmask differences in the autonomic neurovascular control mechanisms that put an individual woman at risk for chronic conditions of aging. These differences may have a genetic basis or may be acquired across the life span and are consistent with the variability of the clinical manifestations of aging observed in women after bilateral oophorectomy. It is time to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the four patterns of vasomotor symptoms more closely, and to shift from describing hot flashes as symptoms to be tolerated to manifestations of an underlying autonomic neurovascular dysregulation that need to be addressed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 700-703 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Menopause |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2018 |
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Keywords
- Aging
- Autonomic nervous system
- Estrogen
- Hot flashes
- Menopause
- Night sweats
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
Cite this
Personal Perspective : What's in a name: Are menopausal "hot flashes" a symptom of menopause or a manifestation of neurovascular dysregulation? / Miller, Virginia M; Kling, Juliana M.; Files, Julia A.; Joyner, Michael Joseph; Kapoor, Ekta; Moyer, Ann; Rocca, Walter A; Faubion, Stephanie S.
In: Menopause, Vol. 25, No. 6, 01.06.2018, p. 700-703.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Personal Perspective
T2 - What's in a name: Are menopausal "hot flashes" a symptom of menopause or a manifestation of neurovascular dysregulation?
AU - Miller, Virginia M
AU - Kling, Juliana M.
AU - Files, Julia A.
AU - Joyner, Michael Joseph
AU - Kapoor, Ekta
AU - Moyer, Ann
AU - Rocca, Walter A
AU - Faubion, Stephanie S.
PY - 2018/6/1
Y1 - 2018/6/1
N2 - Hot flashes have typically been classified as "symptoms of menopause" that should be tolerated or treated until they resolve. However, mounting evidence points to hot flashes as a manifestation of one or several underlying pathophysiological processes. Associations exist between the presence, timing of onset, severity, and duration of hot flashes, and the risk of several neurological (affecting sleep, mood, and cognition) and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, four consistent patterns of vasomotor disturbances have been identified across different countries, making it unlikely that these patterns are solely explained by socioeconomic or cultural factors. The changing hormonal environment of menopause may unmask differences in the autonomic neurovascular control mechanisms that put an individual woman at risk for chronic conditions of aging. These differences may have a genetic basis or may be acquired across the life span and are consistent with the variability of the clinical manifestations of aging observed in women after bilateral oophorectomy. It is time to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the four patterns of vasomotor symptoms more closely, and to shift from describing hot flashes as symptoms to be tolerated to manifestations of an underlying autonomic neurovascular dysregulation that need to be addressed.
AB - Hot flashes have typically been classified as "symptoms of menopause" that should be tolerated or treated until they resolve. However, mounting evidence points to hot flashes as a manifestation of one or several underlying pathophysiological processes. Associations exist between the presence, timing of onset, severity, and duration of hot flashes, and the risk of several neurological (affecting sleep, mood, and cognition) and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, four consistent patterns of vasomotor disturbances have been identified across different countries, making it unlikely that these patterns are solely explained by socioeconomic or cultural factors. The changing hormonal environment of menopause may unmask differences in the autonomic neurovascular control mechanisms that put an individual woman at risk for chronic conditions of aging. These differences may have a genetic basis or may be acquired across the life span and are consistent with the variability of the clinical manifestations of aging observed in women after bilateral oophorectomy. It is time to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the four patterns of vasomotor symptoms more closely, and to shift from describing hot flashes as symptoms to be tolerated to manifestations of an underlying autonomic neurovascular dysregulation that need to be addressed.
KW - Aging
KW - Autonomic nervous system
KW - Estrogen
KW - Hot flashes
KW - Menopause
KW - Night sweats
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047748462&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85047748462&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/GME.0000000000001065
DO - 10.1097/GME.0000000000001065
M3 - Review article
C2 - 29381665
AN - SCOPUS:85047748462
VL - 25
SP - 700
EP - 703
JO - Menopause
JF - Menopause
SN - 1072-3714
IS - 6
ER -