HRT – Men-Applause | Alison Lambert Talks on HRT and Menopause

Under a new scheme announced by the Department of Health and Social Care, from 1st April women will be able to access as many HRT products as they need during a full year for £18.70 - currently the cost of two single prescription charges. Under these new arrangements, women will need to apply for an annual prepayment certificate (PPC) that will allow pharmacists to dispense items automatically instead of women having to go back to the GP for a monthly or quarterly prescription. This annual certificate can be used across the range of HRT prescription items including patches, tablets, and topical preparations and there will be no limit on how many times the PPC can be used whilst valid.

There are approximately 13 million peri or post-menopausal women in the U.K - menopausal symptoms affect more than 75% of women. So, whilst not all women going through the menopause will experience menopausal symptoms, the majority will and over 25% describe severe symptoms. Menopausal symptoms have an average duration of 7 years, and 1 in 3 women experience symptoms beyond the 7 years. Yet, there remains a pressing need to increase awareness around the menopause.

According to the British Menopause Society, many women are experiencing difficulties in having their menopause related concerns listened to and have difficulties accessing advice and help on the menopause. One of the difficulties in accessing appropriate advice is the wide range of symptoms that women may experience, and the fact that some of these symptoms can overlap with other conditions. Whilst most women attribute hot flushes and night sweats to the menopause, many do not associate other symptoms (such as tiredness, low mood, anxiety, poor memory and concentration or sensation of brain fog) to the menopause and worry about the cause of these symptoms or may fail to understand why they are experiencing them. Many women may experience troublesome symptoms related to the menopause that can have a detrimental impact on quality of life, wellbeing and may also have a significant impact on personal relationships and work.

Whilst HRT can play an important role, it is also important to be aware that changes in lifestyle and diet (exercise, optimising weight and reducing alcohol intake) can all help in alleviating menopausal symptoms, and improve later health.

In addition to menopausal symptom management, there is a need to raise awareness and provide information on the detrimental effect the menopause can have on bone health and cardiovascular health - osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. HRT remains the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms and in addition has a protective effect on bone and cardiovascular health.

The risk of breast cancer with HRT is a cause for concern for many women. And whilst there is an increase in this risk, it remains low in both medical and statistical terms, particularly when compared to other modifiable risk factors such as obesity and alcohol intake which are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer than that with HRT. For most women taking HRT, the benefits outweigh the risks.