Psychiatria pre prax 3/2003

Endocrinology of Climacterium and Hormone Replacement Therapy

Climacterium is a period of transition from reproductive years to senile years characterized by progressive loss of ovarian function. During this period women undergo number of endocrine, metabolic, somatic and psychological changes which are part of aging and which often negatively affect their quality of life. These changes are most likely multifactorial in origin. The main cause is exhaustion of ovarian follicles which results in lack of ovarian steroids, mainly estrogens. The basis of prevention and therapy of acute/vegetative and organic-metabolic climacteric estrogen deficiency syndrome is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which includes estrogen-progesterone medications (in women with uterus), or only estrogen medications (in women after hysterectomy).

Keywords: climacterium, menopause, endocrinology, hormone replacement therapy.