Menopause
Symptoms — Hormone Replacement Therapy
Medical Dictionary
Discover the latest evidence regarding menopause
treatments along with recommendations for evaluating
your risk factors and making an informed choice.
This medical dictionary covers terms used in
the report, Menopause: Managing the change
of life, and includes details on the symptoms
of menopause and the early signs to watch out
for, treatment for it, hormone replacement therapy,
and what it means for you.
androgens: Primarily male steroid
hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands
and ovaries in women.
combined hormone therapy: Estrogen
combined with progestogen.
conjugated equine estrogens: Estrogen
compounds produced from the urine of pregnant
mares. Brand name is Premarin.
continuous combined hormone therapy: A
dose of estrogen and a dose of progestogen taken
daily.
cyclic hormone therapy: Continuous
treatment with estrogen combined with a progestogen
for 10–14 days of the month.
dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA): A
test in which x-rays limited to two different
energies are used to measure bone density.
endometrium: The lining of
the uterus.
estradiol: Produced by the
ovaries, the dominant form of estrogen in premenopausal
women.
estrogen: A catch-all term
for primarily female steroid hormones that are
produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands, placenta,
and testes. In women, estrogen is responsible
for the development of secondary sexual characteristics
(including breast growth), the maturation and
function of sexual organs, and the growth of
the long bones.
follicle: A spherical group
of cells that surrounds an egg before its release
from the ovary.
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): A
hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that
stimulates the development of follicles in the
ovaries.
hormone therapy: The augmentation
of a woman’s depleted hormones with prescription
hormone therapy.
hot flash: A sudden feeling
of heat in the face or upper part of the body,
caused by the dilation of blood vessels in the
skin and often accompanied by perspiration and
flushing.
hysterectomy: Surgical removal
of the uterus.
menopause: The point marking
the end of menstruation and childbearing; defined
by the World Health Organization as one year
after the last period.
osteoporosis: A bone-thinning
condition that can result in bone fracture.
perimenopause: The phase starting
when periods become irregular and lasting until
a year after the last period.
progesterone: A female steroid
hormone, produced by the ovaries after ovulation,
that prepares the uterine lining for pregnancy.
progestin: A synthetic compound
that produces effects similar to those of progesterone.
progestogen: Any hormone having
the same effect as progesterone in the body;
refers to both natural progesterone and synthetic
progestin.
selective estrogen receptor modulators
(SERMs): Chemically synthesized drugs
that mimic estrogen in some tissues but act
to block estrogen’s effects in others.
unopposed estrogen: Estrogen taken
without an accompanying progestogen.
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