Menopausal women should not be given HRT to treat depression, guidance says as prescriptions soar

Menopausal women should not beryllium prescribed HRT for depression, according to landmark guidance.

A increasing number of women are turning to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to alleviate distressing symptoms of nan menopause.

Recent figures show nan number of HRT prescriptions person soared successful nan past year, expanding 47 per cent compared to 2021/22.

But successful a caller menopause 'toolkit' experts opportunity objective slump is not a information that should simply beryllium treated pinch hormones arsenic a cure. 

The guidance, endorsed by nan British Menopause Society and designed to beryllium implemented worldwide, states that tests person recovered 'no use of oestrogen therapy connected depressive symptoms... complete placebo'. 

While nan medicine is recommended to easiness beingness symptoms specified arsenic nighttime sweats and basking flushes, experts said objective slump needs to beryllium managed 'in its ain right'.

They added that women should consult their GP if they person troubling intelligence wellness problems – but doctors should not presume that slump successful women of a definite property is caused by nan menopause.

Professor Susan Davis, from Monash University successful Australia, led improvement of nan toolkit, which was presented successful nan diary Climacteric. 

She said: 'Menopause whitethorn origin symptoms specified arsenic debased mood, anxiety, irritability and temper swings, but objective slump needs to beryllium assessed and managed successful its ain right.

'Menopause mightiness exacerbate underlying slump but should not beryllium assumed to beryllium nan origin of objective depression.' 

Professor Davis added: 'Low temper and worry aliases temper swings are communal astatine menopause and astir amended pinch oestrogen, truthful these are indications for menopausal hormone therapy. 

'But objective slump is not a information that should simply beryllium treated pinch hormones arsenic a cure. 

'We are trying to spell this retired truthful that women pinch objective slump are appropriately treated.'

The document, which replaces erstwhile guidance released astir 10 years ago, besides suggests HRT does not amended learning, reasoning aliases memory.

HRT helps modulate falling levels of oestrogen and has been hailed by nan likes of Davina McCall.

A abstracted study published yesterday besides recovered that nan menopause whitethorn diminish definite aspects of memory.

Researchers recovered nan encephalon regions progressive during nan statement and retrieval of peculiar memories were different successful pre- and post-menopausal women.