New Toolkit Helps Diagnose and Treat Menopausal Women

Scientists have created a new toolkit that helps women aged over 40 deal with menopausal conditions.

Researchers from the Monash University have developed a tool kit using data of clinical researches on menopause, diagnostic algorithms and women's experience of undergoing extensive medical treatments. The new tool is meant to be used in GP surgeries and also to keep tabs on patients' past medical conditions and health status to devise an appropriate treatment plan.

This toolkit contains guidelines that is helpful for doctors in diagnosing and detecting menopausal symptoms in any woman seeking treatment.

"There are many detailed guidelines available on menopause but the reality is that most GPs don't have the time to work through a 40 page report when they only have 5 or 10 minutes with a patient," said Susan Davis, study author and professor at the Monash University, in a news release.

"Based on feedback from patients and doctors we realized there's widespread confusion, not only in how to determine when menopause starts but also prescribing appropriate treatment to help with side effects. With many recent medical graduates receiving little training in this area, we realized there was a clear need for simple and practical guidelines," she said.

Menopause or end of the menstruation and reproductive cycle in women occurs during the 40's and this condition is often accompanied by hot flashes, mood fluctuations, depression, anxiety and joint pain due to hormonal variations.  Menopausal experience varies for different women with different health statuses. The new toolkit provides existing information about hormonal therapies and its risks thereby, enabling women and doctors to decide the best treatment options.

Its use and importance is promoted worldwide by the International Menopause Society.

"This will ensure that each individual woman is well informed about what happens to her as she ages, about what options for treatment and monitoring are available and lastly what menopausal hormone therapy options are," said Rod Baber the president of IMS.

More information is available online in the journal Climacteric.