Doctors update menopause guidance, endorse hormone therapy for hot flashes

A leading United States medical organisation has updated its guidance on managing menopause symptoms for the first time in 12 years, placing renewed emphasis on hormone therapy while outlining several nonhormonal treatment options.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says moderate to severe menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, should be treated, with hormone therapy recommended as the first-line option for many women.

The updated guidance comes amid renewed interest in hormone treatments following the US Food and Drug Administration's decision last year to remove longstanding boxed safety warnings from more than 20 hormone-based menopause medications.