A promising treatment still under study for menopausal disorders? The details of Martin Ducret.
Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist at Doctor’s Daily talks to us today about a new treatment, still under study and promising, to relieve the symptoms associated with menopause, a period of life that occurs in women around the age of 50.
franceinfo: What are these symptoms?
Martin Ducret: They are numerous: we can cite hot flashes, night sweats, mood disorders, urinary disorders, or joint and muscle pain.
What is this new treatment that would relieve these unpleasant symptoms?
Its name is Fezolinetant. It is a non-hormonal treatment that acts on the thermostat of the human body located in the brain. According to two recent international studies, it would reduce, with a minimal risk of adverse effects, the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and sleep disorders.
What would this new treatment bring compared to the current treatment?
It could be an alternative to hormonal treatment which is the standard treatment. To understand, menopause is the cessation of the secretion of 2 hormones (estrogen and progesterone). The periods disappear but give way, in 80% of postmenopausal women, to the unpleasant symptoms that I have mentioned, but also to more serious conditions such as osteoporosis or even cardiovascular diseases.
Very often, sport, diet, food supplements and a healthy lifestyle are not enough to relieve these symptoms. Drug treatment is therefore essential. In this case, the treatment is rather simple, it is enough to provide the body with the 2 missing hormones: this is the hormonal treatment of menopause.
However, some women cannot receive this treatment due to contraindications to the administration of hormones, such as a history of phlebitis or breast cancer. It is in this case that the Fezolinetant proves to be particularly interesting.
But isn’t non-hormonal treatment, such as Fezolinetant, preferable to treatment with potentially dangerous hormones?
Contrary to popular belief, no! Hormonal treatment is by far the most effective treatment for menopause-related disorders, with limited risks of adverse effects thanks to the use of natural hormones and regular monitoring. This was confirmed to me by Dr. Michel Mouly, gynecologist, oncologist and author of a fascinating book on menopause.
For him “this treatment should be prescribed much more. Only 5% of postmenopausal women benefit from it, while 80% of them suffer from menopausal disorders.”
Fezolinetant will not replace hormone therapy, but it shows promise as an alternative treatment, particularly for hot flashes. But other studies must confirm its effectiveness to hope to see it one day in our pharmacies.