Intended for healthcare professionals

Editorials

Non-hormonal management of vasomotor symptoms of menopause

BMJ 2024; 387 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2486 (Published 18 November 2024) Cite this as: BMJ 2024;387:q2486

Linked Research

Efficacy and safety of fezolinetant for moderate-severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause in individuals unsuitable for hormone therapy

  1. Sebastian Geraci, resident physician,
  2. Satu Kuokkanen, clinical associate professor,
  3. Erika Banks, chair
  1. New York University Langone Hospital, Long Island, Mineola, NY, USA
  1. Correspondence to: S Geraci sebastian.geraci{at}nyulangone.org

A new treatment option for women unable to take hormone replacement therapy

Up to 80% of women experience vasomotor symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats, during menopausal transition.1234567 These symptoms can persist for years before and after menopause, substantially impacting quality of life by impairing sleep, mood, and cognitive functioning.23456789101112 Approximately 32-46% of women describe their vasomotor symptoms as moderate to severe and would warrant treatment; studies suggest that the median total length of vasomotor symptoms is 7.4 years.4569 An effective treatment of vasomotor symptoms is hormonal therapy, but this treatment is not appropriate for everyone and only about 10% of women worldwide with vasomotor symptoms report using hormonal therapy.23561011131415 Contraindications to hormonal therapy and concerns for adverse effects with prolonged hormonal therapy use may contribute to its low use.2345679 Non-hormonal alternatives to manage vasomotor symptoms are available but these alternatives are generally considered less efficacious than hormonal therapy.6910111314 Furthermore, before 2023, paroxetine was the …

View Full Text

Log in

Log in through your institution

Subscribe

* For online subscription