Practical aspects of hormone replacement therapy.

Menopause is an endocrinopathy characterized by hypoestrogenism. Estrogen can be replaced easily. Available preparations can be taken by mouth, intramuscularly, transdermally, or transvaginally. Unopposed estrogens increase the risk of endometrial cancer, which can be overcome by the concomitant administration of a progestin agent. The progestin can be administered cyclically either every month, resulting in a monthly menses, or every 3 months, resulting in menses every 3 months. The progestin can also be administered every day, which achieves amenorrhea in over half of the patients; the remainder have breakthrough bleeding. Abnormal bleeding can be assessed by either endometrial biopsy or transvaginal ultrasound.