pattern of menopause in Kuwait and the need for hormone replacement therapy

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the pattern of menopausal symptoms in Kuwait and the need for hormone replacement therapy. Methodology: Two hundred and sixty-one postmenopausal women who attended the menopause clinic in a three year period form the subjects of the evaluation. This included detailed history, physical examination, and blood for hormone, lipoproteins and glucose profile, and high vaginal swabs, cervical smears and mid stream urine for urine culture. Mammography and CT scan were done for some patients. The median age for natural menopause was 49.5 years. Hot flushes were the commonest feature in 90% of the patients. Other features included night sweats, musculo-skeletal and psychological symptoms. The FSH and LH were generally high; >20 iu/L. About 14-27% of the patients had high risk lipoprotein indices concomitant with developing coronary heart disease. The CT scan revealed that 27.5% of the women had low mineral bone density in the risk range for developing osteoporosis. Menopausal symptoms in Kuwait have the same pattern as in western countries. Hormone replacement therapy is acceptable by women. Its general use among postmenopausal women is therefore recommended