Professor Rodney Baber
University of Sydney / Royal North Shore Hospital
National and International Guidelines consistently state that the principal indication for the use of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is the alleviation of troublesome menopausal vasomotor symptoms and that MHT should be part of an overall plan to improve the health of women in midlife. The benefits of MHT are greatest and risks least when initiated within 10 years of the final menstrual period (FMP) and risk may be further reduced with the choice of body identical hormones and transdermal delivery. This paper will discuss how, when and why to prescribe MHT and will review the latest data on risks and benefits of MHT. A range of different regimens will be presented for consideration when treating women of different ages and with different risk profiles. Particular attention will be paid to minimizing risks of thromboembolic disease, breast and uterine cancer. The presentation will conclude with an illustrative case study.