Category Archives: Hormone Replacement Therapy

By Jane Weaver, Deputy health editor When the government-funded Womens Health Initiative study was abruptly halted in 2002, the impact was huge, swift and charged with emotion. Until the first results were released from the groundbreaking research, most doctors and older women believed that taking hormone replacement pills would protect their hearts and keep them young,healthy and hot flash-free. Courtesy of Dr. Vivian Pinn Instead the hormone drugs -- to the surprise of researchers at the National Institutes of Health who had founded the study -- were shown to cause a small, but significant increase in the risk of breast cancer. Thousands of women participating in the study were instructed to stop taking the drugs, a combination of estrogen and progestin, and contact their doctors. The findings affected millions of American women taking hormone therapy. Few doctors had clear answers for their menopausal patientsbecause the medical community itself had been caught off guard by the results. There was plenty of frustration (Will my hot flashes return?), confusion (Was taking estrogen alone safe?) and fear (Am I at risk of heart attack, breast cancer or stroke?). When the Womens Health Initiative started in 1991, the 15-year randomized clinical trial was one … Continue reading →

Denny Henry / for msnbc.com Ingrid Gorman, a 48-year-old senior vice president at Discovery Communications, said she never discussed menopause with her mother, but wants to now that she's approaching that age. "I don't even remember discussing menstruation with her when I was little," she said. By Maggie Fox When her aunt died of breast cancer, Mari-Anne Pisarri had no doubts about what caused it. She was certain it was estrogen pills. So when the Womens Health Initiative released their findings, I thought, Well, of course, Aunt Betty could have told them that years ago, said Pisarri, a 56-year-old partner at a Washington, D.C. law firm. Pisarri is one of tens of millions of U.S women who have no intention of taking hormone replacement therapy to ease the symptoms of menopause. I am just not willing to take the risk, she said. Like so many women in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, Pisarris aunt got estrogen as a matter of course when she entered menopause. Doctors routinely prescribed hormones in the belief that HRT prevented heart disease, cancer and the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. The federal government decided to check out these assumptions, and commissioned the Womens Health Initiative a giant … Continue reading →

BEDMINSTER, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NPSP), a specialty pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for rare gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders, announced today that new findings from the double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 REPLACE study of Natpara (recombinant human parathyroid hormone (rhPTH [1-84])) support the drugs therapeutic potential as the first parathyroid hormone replacement therapy for adults with hypoparathyroidism. The findings were presented in oral and poster sessions at the ENDO 2012 annual meeting of The Endocrine Society in Houston, TX. Natpara is a bioengineered replica of human parathyroid hormone that is being developed by NPS Pharmaceuticals as the first replacement therapy for adults with hypoparathyroidism. These presentations show the potential benefits of replacing the missing parathyroid hormone with Natpara and restoring and maintaining healthy serum calcium levels in patients with this rare and complex metabolic disorder, said Roger Garceau, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer of NPS Pharmaceuticals. The consequences of this disorder can be severely disabling, which is why the drugs apparent treatment effects in this study increased serum calcium levels, reductions in calcium and vitamin D supplementation, fewer disease symptoms and increased bone turnover are so impressive. Natpara was also well tolerated, with no significant differences in … Continue reading →

Public release date: 23-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Aaron Lohr alohr@endo-society.org 240-482-1380 The Endocrine Society An investigational parathyroid hormone replacement effectively treated a rare disorder characterized by low calcium and high phosphate levels in the blood, a new study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston. The parathyroid hormone replacement is called recombinant human parathyroid hormone, or rhPTH(1-84). It is produced in the lab using a replica of the human parathyroid hormone gene. rhPTH(1-84) is identical to the naturally occurring parathyroid hormone and acts to regulate calcium levels in the same way. Calcium is an essential mineral for bone, teeth, and muscle health, among other things. In the rare and complex disorder known as hypoparathyroidism, or HypoPARA, the parathyroid gland produces insufficient parathyroid hormone. As a result, calcium levels drop, while the amount of phosphate, another mineral, increases in the body. This mineral imbalance can cause a number of symptoms, including muscle twitching, spasms, and pain; seizures; cramps in the hands and feet; fatigue; anxiety; depression; and problems with bone and tooth development. Current options are limited to symptom management with calcium and active vitamin D in high … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (June 25, 2012) Hormone-replacement therapy significantly improved symptoms of metabolic syndrome associated with testosterone deficiency in men, a new study from Germany finds. The results will be presented June 25 at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston. Metabolic syndrome comprises a cluster of complications that can increase the risk of heart and blood-vessel disease as well as type 2 diabetes. These complications include excess body weight, especially around the waist and torso, and abnormal concentrations of fat in the blood, known as lipids. In particular, patients with metabolic syndrome have high blood levels of the so-called bad fats, or triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins, and insufficient amounts of the healthy fats known as high-density lipoproteins. In addition, they often have high blood pressure and sugar, or glucose, levels. Previous research has linked metabolic syndrome to testosterone deficiency, which can cause decreased muscle and bone mass, depression, low energy, and decreased sex drive and ability. In addition, testosterone deficiency is also associated with the individual symptoms of metabolic syndrome, even when they are present without the other complications. "When indicated, testosterone treatment is both essential and safe in elderly patients with symptomatic late onset hypogonadism, or testosterone deficiency," said … Continue reading →

HOUSTON, June 24 (UPI) -- Men using testosterone replacement therapy experienced significant weight loss, researchers in Germany found. Lead author of Bayer Pharma in Berlin said previous research showed testosterone-deficient men consistently show changes in body composition, but the net effect on weight seemed unchanged. However, in the current study had a longer follow-up by at least two years and used long-acting injections of testosterone. The investigators restored testosterone to normal levels in 255 testosterone-deficient men, whose average age was nearly 61. Treatment lasted for up to five years, with injections given at day one, after six weeks and then every 12 weeks after that. Patients did not follow a controlled diet or standard exercise program but received advice to improve their lifestyle habits. The study found, on average, the men weighed 236 pounds before beginning testosterone treatment and 200 pounds after treatment. Weight loss was reportedly continuous, with an average reduction in body weight ranging from about 4 percent after one year of treatment to more than 13 percent after five years. In addition, the men lost an average of nearly 3.5 inches from their waist. "The substantial weight loss found in our study -- an average of 36 … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Historically, low testosterone in men was commonly blamed for the inability to achieve and sustain an erection and hormone replacement therapy was considered the fix. Today, however, significant progress has been made in diagnosing the causes of erectile dysfunction (ED) and targeting the right treatment method for individual men. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120619/NY26458) The hormone testosterone is responsible for the development and maintenance of male reproductive tissues and typical male characteristics. "Testosterone and manliness are linked in our minds," Dr. J. Francois Eid says, "and so many men with ED issues quickly blame their testosterone level." Eid is a world renowned urologist who specializes inED treatment, penile implantsandpenile prosthesis surgery with his innovative "No Touch Surgical Technique." He is Clinical Associate Professor of Urology at the Weill -Cornell Medical College of Cornell University and Director of Advanced Urological Care, PC in Manhattan, NY. Problematically, many doctors make the same mistake and set men with erectile dysfunction on a course of androgen replacement therapy that can actually do a disservice to the patient. Aggressive marketing and pressure from the pharmaceutical industry further exacerbate the dangerous practice of hormone replacement therapy. Some of the long-term effects of … Continue reading →

Hormone Replacement Therapy may be able to relieve hot flashes and night sweats, but it does not help women prevent conditions like heart disease and breast cancer. In fact -- according to government experts -- it could be harmful. Members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reviewed the latest data on hormone replacement therapy for the prevention of chronic conditions -- and they are recommending against treatment. While they found estrogen alone and estrogen plus progestin could lower the risk for fracture, there were significant risks linked to both treatments. Estrogen plus progestin was found to increase the risk for stroke, blood clots, dementia and invasive breast cancer. Estrogen alone, usually given to women who've had a hysterectomy, slightly lowered the risk for breast cancer, but increased the risk for stroke and clots. Experts say hormone replacement therapy could still be considered for women who are just entering menopause and are looking for symptom relief -- as long as they don't have an increased risk for conditions like heart disease and breast cancer. Patients should talk to their doctor. See more here: HRT -- Helpful Or Harmful? … Continue reading →

Should women who suffer from the demobilizing symptoms of menopause hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness and mood swings take hormone replacement therapy? That is the question facing many women, since a groundbreaking study a decade ago turned the tables on the medical approach to relieving the symptoms of menopause with hormones. The answer: the decision is a highly individualized one, to be determined between each patient and her doctor, South Florida physicians say. There is not one answer that fits all women because each womans risk is different, said Dr. Silvina Levis, professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and director of its Osteoporosis Center. In 2002, a study by the Womens Health Initiative was halted after 5 years when researchers found that estrogen and progestin supplements significantly increased the rate of heart attacks, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer in healthy postmenopausal women. The increased risk of a heart attack or stroke began in the first year of hormone use, while the risk of breast cancer jumped after four years on hormones. While the studys methodology has been criticized by many, there is no doubt that the conclusions have caused a sea change in … Continue reading →

Menopause is a natural condition that all women will experience in their lifetime. The term menopause describes a constellation of changes that generally occur in a womans fifties or sixties, with the symptoms of change often becoming noticeable in her forties. During this time, the ovaries stop producing eggs, menstrual cycles become less frequent and eventually stop, and estrogen and progesterone decline. The hormonal decline that occurs with menopause causes uncomfortable symptoms that lead many women to seek relief. Relief is rumored to exist with a steady soy diet or acupuncture, but hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is known as the most effective. Many women, however, live in fear of hormone therapy, questioning its safety and the impact it will have on their long term health. Traditional/Non-bioidentical vs. Bioidentical Hormones This fear stems from the results of the 1991 long-term study on the safety and efficacy of hormone therapy, known as the Womens Health Initiative (WHI). The study tested synthetic, or traditional, hormone therapy on postmenopausal women. One branch of the study, which compared the effects of estrogen-only therapy with estrogen-progestin therapy, had to be halted early in 2002 due to adverse health conditions that developed among many of the subjects. … Continue reading →