Treatment of menopause: recommendations for hormonal and non-hormonal therapy.

The results of the HERS II and Women's Health Initiative trials regarding the use of combination estrogen and progesterone prescribed in menopausal women were published in 2002. Not only did both trials study the benefit of these hormones for cardiac protection but addressed their benefit for use at all. Combination therapy is thought to have risks that outweigh its potential benefits. This article will review the circumstances of the early termination of these two trials and their results. Additionally, non-hormonal therapies for menopausal symptoms and age-associated co-morbidity are discussed.