Endocrine
Drugs
Books
Endocrine
drugs correct the overproduction or underproduction
of the body's natural hormones. For example, insulin
is a hormone used to treat diabetes. The female sex
hormones estrogen and progesterone are used in birth
control pills. To relieve uncomfortable symptoms of
menopause, including sweating, hot flashes, and mood
swings, as well as to delay some long-term consequences
of menopause, including osteoporosis and atherosclerosis,
physicians often prescribe the synthetic hormones estrogen,
progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone), and sometimes
androgens. This therapeutic approach is called hormone
replacement therapy (HRT). However, recent studies indicate
that HRT may be associated with an increased risk of
breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots,
and it is unclear if the benefits of HRT outweigh these
risks. Each woman and her health-care provider should
assess her need for menopausal symptom control and her
potential risks and benefits before starting HRT.
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