ABSTRACT
Vasomotor symptoms are among the most characteristic symptoms of the climacteric, and are one of the most common complaints for which perimenopausal and postmenopausal women seek medical treatment. It is estimated that as many as 75-80% of women suffer from hot flushes at or around the time of the menopause. For most women, hot flushes begin before the menopause, when menstrual cycles are still regular, or within 1 year of the menopause. Symptoms often last 1 year or less, but almost one-third of postmenopausal women report symptoms that last up to 5 years after a natural menopause, and hot flushes can persist for up to 15 years in 20% or more of women1-4. Are cent evaluation of data from the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS) showed that 16% of the study participants, whose average age was 67 years and who averaged 18 years since the menopause, still had hot flushes and other symptoms that are typically attributed to the menopause5.
