Linaclotide and Vasomotor Symptoms

Vasomotor symptoms or hot flushes are periods of intense heat, sweating and peripheral vasodilation. Hot flushes and night sweats are the most commonly reported symptoms in menopausal women, affecting approximately 73% of women [1]. It has been suggested that vasomotor symptoms are triggered by a small elevation of core body temperature above the narrowed thermoneutral zone [2]. This central mechanism is not fully understood and may include peripheral vascular responses. Menopausal women who experience flushing have been shown to have significantly increased peripheral vascular reactivity as compared to women who do not [3]. The narrowed regulatory zone responds to small elevations in body temperature by dilating the already overly reactive peripheral vasculature to dissipate excess heat [4].