Presented at the World Congress of menopause the latest studies on hormonal treatments for vaginal atrophy.

-women complain before hot flushes and sweating that of vaginal dryness that will get worse with age if it is not treated

-vaginal atrophy affects half of all women in menopause and influences of determining how sexual functionality and their quality of life

Rome, 2011-June every three years, the international Menopause Society organizes a World Congress on menopause in trying to take stock of the latest studies and data published in the scientific literature. The 13th World Congress on menopause, held this year in Rome has hosted gynecologists experts on pathogenesis and treatment of osteoporosis and premature menopause as well as the impact of hormonal cancer, cardiovascular disease or osteoporosis treatment, the effects of the menopause in mood and the central nervous system, among other topics. Spanish participants highlighted the presence of Dr. Sánchez Borrego, President of the Spanish Association for the study of the menopause-EMEA. Dr. Sánchez Borrego has valued the important speeches made by all the professionals from Spain, highlighting the presentation of the studies presented by doctors Antonio Cano, Chief of the service of Gynecology and obstetrics at the Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset of Valencia, and Juan Luis Delgado, attached to the service of gynaecology and obstetrics of the Hospital Universitario Virgen of the Arixaca of Murciaon the estriol formulated gel administered vaginally.

Latest data on vaginal atrophy

Vaginal atrophy is the medical term that refers to the thinning of the vaginal wall that occurs during menopause. Vaginal atrophy has undoubtedly been one of the protagonists in the World Congress of menopause as a pathology of high prevalence in women with menopause. It is estimated that approximately between 40-60% of women in menopause suffer local symptoms associated with vaginal atrophy that occurs as a result of the progressive fall of estrogen, something characteristic of this stage of the life of the woman.

A series of symptoms whose effects are very subjective depending on each woman appear in women in menopause. Although vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats are resolved in the majority of cases spontaneously with the passage of time (2-3 years), symptoms associated with atrophy of the urogenital tract, and vagina worsen progressively, increasing problems and consequently the quality of life, for this reason these symptoms – such as vaginal dryness – reaching the second complaint of women in this stage of life.

Some data provided by other countries indicate that approximately 5% of all women attending a gynecological visit concern dyspareunia (pain with intercourse) in relation to vaginal dryness, a percentage that is three or four times higher in women during menopause and is known increases with the age of the woman. In general there are several discomfort associated with the field of urogenital, such as incontinence or trigonitis (inflammation of the bladder triangle that forms the base of the bladder). Vaginal dryness, according to the VIVA survey is currently under the Spanish society of Gynecology and obstetrics is the vaginal symptoms most frequently referred to, is associated with dyspareunia and dysuria (pain when urinating) are problems that frequently cite the patients with menopause is defined as not symptomatic ” and thereforelittle treated, but that actually punishes harshly the life of relationship and affects their quality of life.

However only 1 of every 4 query for this reason despite the fact that these symptoms are usually progressive and worsen in the absence of treatment, in fact narrowed epithelium causes with the friction of sexual relations occurring with pain bleeding so the treatment of choice is to manage an estrogen level topical (local action and that) (no passes into the blood). Is important to clarify that these oestrogens have nothing to do with the controversy of estrogen at menopause, known hormone replacement therapy ” specifies Dr. Sánchez Borrego, President of the EMEA.

Effective and safe treatments

Local treatments include the vaginal moisturizers which can partly alleviate these annoyances but not reverse the atróficos changes associated with menopause for what would be necessary to the use of the treatment of choice with estrogen. To treat vaginal dryness, topical hormonal treatments of estriol (estrogen weaker few produces women), it is recommended that to be an effective active ingredient for local use reduces the overall absorption throughout the body and thereby the incidence of consequential adverse events.

The use of dose ever-lower and different from the oral routes of administration represent the new perspective on the treatment of the symptoms of menopause, which is intended to increase the beneficial effects while reducing side effects.

More information about the EMEA

The EMEA is the scientific society of reference in the care of the peri- and postmenopausal women. This association aims to educate women so that they ask more on climacteric symptoms and professionals to make them more proactive to the complaints of his patients, in this way can reverse some of the symptoms that are most troublesome for women in menopause. Its motto in this 2011 on the basis of the international day of menopause was the of Vaginal health ”.