Editor: Volodymyr Dvornyk

Current Topics in Menopause

eBook: US $79 Special Offer (PDF + Printed Copy): US $236
Printed Copy: US $196
Library License: US $316
ISBN: 978-1-60805-515-9 (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-60805-453-4 (Online)
Year of Publication: 2013
DOI: 10.2174/97816080545341130101

Introduction

Menopause is a significant event in a woman’s life as is generally considered as an indicator for senescence in women. Evidence suggests that menopause results in many psychological and postmenopausal health problems, such as anxiety, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorder and others. Menopausal symptoms and associated disorders are of great importance for public health as they influence the quality of life of affected individuals. Therefore proper management of menopause will definitely contribute to healthy aging and the overall well-being of women.

This e-book reviews recent progress in the research and management of menopause and associated health problems. It provides comprehensive coverage of both clinical aspects and basic research of menopause. Topics covered in this e-book include research findings about risk factors for complex medical conditions associated with menopause along with the treatment options for these conditions, with particular emphasis on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). These conditions include osteoporosis, dementia, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes mellitus.

Subsequent chapters detail on common oncological malignancies post menopause. The e-book concludes with a review of HRT treatment including its advantages and disadvantages followed by a review on risk factors, causes and complications of premature menopause occurring in women before an age of 40 years.

This e-book is a valuable guide for medical researchers and gynecological professionals with a focus on the pathophysiology and treatment of this medical condition.

Indexed in: Book Citation Index, Science Edition, EBSCO.

Preface

Menopause is one of the most important physiological events in a woman’s life. It signifies the end of a reproductive period and is a hallmark of senescence in women. Apart from this, menopause has gained increased attention as a trigger of many complex psychological and postmenopausal health problems, such as anxiety, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorder and others. Menopausal symptoms and associated disorders are of great importance for public health. Just imagine: more than half of the human population experience some of them. Therefore proper management of menopause will definitely contribute to healthy aging and the overall well-being of women.

This eBook showcases the most contemporary knowledge about menopause: its aetiology and management. It is targeted at the wide audience of students and medical professionals in various areas, including but not limited to obstetrics and gynaecology, reproductive health, gerontology, oncology and public health.

The first three chapters cover life-style, physiological and genetic factors, which determine menopause and its onset. In chapter 2, special attention is paid to the data about a shared genetic basis between menopause and associated health complications.

Chapters 4-8 summarize available data about common systemic disorders associated with menopause: osteoporosis, dementia, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes mellitus. Most common risk factors for these disorders, including estrogen exposure, are comprehensively reviewed. Each chapter discusses available treatment options with particular emphasis on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Three most common types of gynaecological malignancies, breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers, and their treatment, are considered in Chapters 9-11.

In Chapters 12 and 13 two main approaches at treatment of menopausal symptoms are presented. HRT is currently a prevailing treatment option and its pros and cons are discussed in Chapter 12. However, alternative methods of non-hormonal menopause therapy become more and more popular and readily available. Their efficacy and safety are a topic of Chapter 13.

Premature menopause, occurring before the age of 40, may result from several causes. Some of them are well established, whereas the others have largely unknown aetiology. Risk factors, causes and complications of premature menopause are reviewed in Chapter 14.

The authors of this eBook hope that their efforts will benefit not only the medical professionals but also the general readers.

On behalf of all contributors I would like to thank Prof. Andrea Genazzani for writing the foreword and Bentham Science Publishers for their support.

Volodymyr Dvornyk,
University of Hong Kong
PR China


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