Introduction- Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone therapy has been an extremely famous alternative medical technique for quite sometime now. A number of researchers have tried various hormone replacements in both males and females. The hormone replacement therapy is an approach in which the natural hormones in the body can be replaced by synthetically prepared ones. The synthetic hormones can be derived from either natural sources or directly the artificial components. There are a number of risks involved in the hormone replacement therapy. One must be aware enough to make a wise and an informed decision. The information and detailed features of the various available clinical trials can be procured from any health professional.

Features

There are a number of hormone replacement therapies that are offered in the market today. A number of short-term benefits lure the minds of people and in the run one forgets to study the cons of the subject. If the hormone therapy is continued for a short period of time, its ill-effects are less. But as per surveys, the women who've undergone the therapy for more than five years are prone to ailments like breast cancer, uterine cancer and other unconventional cancers. One should try and avoid using the combination of the estrogen and the progesterone replacement therapy as the risks almost double up. Combined therapy is risky in many ways and hence one should consult a doctor before making any kind of decision. The increase in the breast density is another major problem faced by ladies who have continued the combined therapy for a longer span of time. The problems are more prominent in the postmenopausal stage as the body's immune system deteriorates considerably till then. The estrogen therapy also intensifies the risk of the endometrial cancer. The endometrial hyperplasia increases at a rapid rate and hence the risk increases exponentially. Even the problem of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) increases drastically.

The final verdict

There are several genomic and non-genomic changes that occur during the hormone replacement therapy. The risks of VTE and cancers do not vanish with time and hence one needs to be very cautious before undergoing any kind of hormone replacement therapy. These risks even act as indicators about the harmful effects of the HRT. The hormone replacement does come with a number of benefits but one must analyze for oneself.