Barriers to VMS Treatment and Impact on Long-Term Health

Author(s):

Ryan Haumschild, PharmD, MS, MBA, CPEL,JoAnn V. Pinkerton, MD, FACOG, MSCP

Key Takeaways

Misconceptions about menopause and lack of awareness among healthcare providers contribute to under-treatment of VMS in menopausal women.
Patient resistance to HRT and nonhormonal treatments like SSRIs and gabapentin is driven by concerns about side effects and long-term risks.
Untreated VMS can lead to decreased quality of life and increased risks for cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's disease.

Panelists discuss how underlying factors, including patient resistance to conventional treatments and the stigma surrounding menopause, contribute to the persistent undertreatment of vasomotor symptoms (VMS), which can severely impact women’s quality of life and increase their risk for long-term health issues such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer disease.

EP: 1.Understanding the Burden of Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms

Now Viewing

EP: 2.Barriers to VMS Treatment and Impact on Long-Term Health

EP: 3.Improving Access and Equity in VMS Treatment

EP: 4.Integrating VMS Treatment Into Comprehensive Women’s Health Management

EP: 5.Advances in Menopause Treatment: A Focus on the Neurokinin Pathway

EP: 6.Fezolinetant in Focus: Key Findings From the SKYLIGHT Trials

EP: 7.Elinzanetant and the OASIS Trials: Quality of Life and Symptom Relief

EP: 8.Safety Profiles of Neurokinin-Targeted Therapies for VMS

Video content above is prompted by the following:

What underlying factors do you think contribute to the persistent under-treatment of VMS in menopausal women, despite the high prevalence of these symptoms?
What factors contribute to patient resistance to conventional VMS treatment options, specifically hormone replacement therapies and nonhormonal therapies such as SSRIs [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors] and gabapentin?
How do untreated VMS impact the overall quality of life and long-term health outcomes for women, such as risk for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease?