WOMEN 'S HEALTH AND MENOPAUSE : - National Heart, Lung ...

5. FUTURE NEEDS
• Explore the possibility that SERMs may act as
estrogen antagonists in the brain or eye.
• Evaluate in long-term RCTs the potential effects
of HRT on age-associated cognitive decline.
• Evaluate in long-term RCTs the potential effects
of HRT on primary prevention of Alzheimer’s
disease and vascular dementia.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of combination therapy
with estrogen plus a cholinomimetic drug in
RCTs for women with Alzheimer symptoms.
• Evaluate in RCTs the potential effects of HRT
on primary prevention of Parkinson’s disease
and on symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
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• Determine in RCTs whether estrogen combined
with antidepressants or antipsychotic drugs
might enhance the effects of these medications
in depressive disorders and schizophrenia,
respectively.
• Determine in long-term RCTs whether HRT
might reduce incidence of age-associated maculopathy,
cataract, or dry eye.
• If estrogen proves beneficial for disorders of
neurologic function, mental health, or eye, the
timing of therapy and the duration of usage for
optimal benefit have to be resolved.
• If estrogen proves beneficial for disorders of
neurologic function, mental health, or eye, the
possibility that benefit may be altered by a
progestin has to be resolved.