Numerous reports in the medical literature and popular media have discussed the effectiveness of various nonhormonal agents in reducing menopausal hot flash symptoms. Data for these therapies are limited, and most of the studies have been conducted in women with a history of breast cancer. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine have been shown to reduce hot flashes by 19 to 60 ...

A high percentage of women are using alternative therapies, particularly botanical dietary supplements to treat conditions that are “gender specific,” such as menopause. Recent surveys suggest that the use of botanical dietary supplements among women of the 40-65 year age group may be as high as 80 percent, and in light of the results from the Women’s Health Initiative, this trend is likely to ...

BACKGROUND Herbal supplements are widely used for vasomotor symptoms. OBJECTIVE To test the efficacy of 3 herbal regimens and hormone therapy for relief of vasomotor symptoms compared with placebo. DESIGN 1-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted from May 2001 to September 2004. SETTING Group Health, Washington State. PARTICIPANTS 351 women age 45 to 55 years w...

OCTOBER 2005 • VOLUME 9, NUMBER 5 • CLINICAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY NURSING CDR Colleen O. Lee, RN, MS, AOCN ®, is a practice assessment program manager in the Offi ce of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. (Mention of specifi c products and opinions related to those products do not indicate or imply endorsement by the Clinical Journal of...