This review will discuss the concept of reproductive aging, which includes the definition of menopause, its symptoms, and predisposing conditions. It will elaborate upon the contributory factors implicated in the pathogenesis of menopause, focusing most prominently on oxidative stress. Specifically, this paper will explain how oxidative stress, in the form of free radicals and antioxidant deficiencies, has been directly linked to the decline of estrogen during reproductive aging. Additionally, this paper will elaborate upon the treatment options aimed at mitigating the menopausal symptoms and hormonal deficiencies that can lead to various disease processes. Treatment options such as hormonal therapy, antioxidant supplementation, and lifestyle modification have been explored for their effectiveness in treating and preventing the symptoms and sequelae of menopause. The majority of information in this review was obtained through PubMed and the National Library of Medicine. While most references in this paper are original research articles, a limited number of references are comprehensive reviews on the topic.

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Introduction: Age of menopause is a very important biomarker of not only the loss of fertility but also an increased risk for various mid-life diseases and problems. Many of these diseases can be prevented by timely intervention of lifestyle modification, menopausal hormone therapy, or other supplementations such as calcium, Vitamin D, and micronutrients. In India age of menopause is less than our counterparts in the Western world.This means that the fertility potential of Indian women starts compromising early, so we need to start with the preventive measures much early. Earlier studies in India have been done on a limited population, and small sample size and not all the determinants of menopause age were considered. Materials and Methods: Survey was conducted in 21 chapters of Indian Menopause Society and all regions South, West, East and North were covered. There were 23 Medical practitioners who participated. Consent was taken and inclusion and exclusion criteria was set. Set questions were asked The questionnaire comprised of identification of the participants' religion, education, and various socioeconomic parameters. They were also inquired about their marital and parity status, abortion, or contraceptive use. The menopausal women were asked their menopause age and whether it was natural or surgical. The perimenopausal women were asked to enlist the date of their last period. All women with <1 year to menopause were classified as perimenopausal. The height,weight, and waist circumference were noted for all the women, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The women were also inquired about their food habits and social habits including alcohol consumption or smoking. Hence, this study was planned as a PAN India study. Results: Average age of menopause of an Indian woman is 46.2 years much less than their Western counter parts (51 years). A definite rural and urban division was also seen. There was a correlation between the age of menopause and social and economic status, married status, and parity status.

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The term premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) describes a continuum of declining ovarian function in a young woman, resulting in an earlier than average menopause. It is a term that reflects the variable nature of the condition and is substantially less emotive than the formerly used "premature ovarian failure" which signaled a single event in time. Contrary to the decline in the age of menarche seen over the last 3-4 decades there has been no similar change in the age of menopause. In developed nations, the average age for cessation of menstrual cycles is 50-52 years. The age is younger among women from developing nations. Much has been written about POI despite a lack of good data on the incidence of this condition. It is believed that 1% of women under the age of 40 years and 0.1% under the age of 30 years will develop POI. Research is increasingly providing information about the pathogenesis and treatments are being developed to better preserve ovarian function during cancer treatment and to improve fertility options. This narrative review summarizes the current literature to provide an approach to best practice management of POI.

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Objective: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer patients. Methods: We collected data from 60 patients of carcinoma breast post modified radical mastectomy on radiotherapy in a tertiary care hospital. We included volunteered patients with a signed informed consent and at least 70 Karnofsky Performance Scale points. The data was gathered by interview technique using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 (Breast Cancer Module). Results: The mean age at presentation was 47.6 years (range 30-75 years).75% patients were of low socio-economic status and 63.3% belonged to rural areas. Younger Women in the age group of 30-39 years had faired worst on physical, social and emotional scores as compared to older women in the age group of 70-79 years. Other factors which affected Quality of Life of patients during treatment were stage of disease at presentation, performance score of the patients, socioeconomic status of disease at follow up. Conclusion: Age, Education status, Performance Score, Stage of disease at presentation and status of disease at last follow up are few factors which significantly affects QOL in Carcinoma breast patients though the treatment remains same. Advanced studies on individual quality of life factors affecting cancer would empower physicians for better personal care techniques and patients for easily overcoming the disease.

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Osteoporosis and obesity are worldwide health problems. Interestingly, both are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Both the diseases have common linkage as bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells are the common precursors for both osteoblasts and adipocytes. Aging may shift composition of bone marrow by increasing adipocytes, osteoclast activity, and decreasing osteoblast activity, resulting into osteoporosis. Adipocytes secret leptin, adiponectin, adipsin, as well as proinflammatory cytokines, that contributes in pathogenesis of osteoporosis. This new concept supports the hypothesis, that the positive correlation of weight and body mass index (BMI) with bone mineral density (BMD) is not confirmed by large population-based studies. Thus, the previous concept, that obesity is protective for osteoporosis may not stand same as bone marrow fat deposition (adipogenesis) seen in obesity, is detrimental for bone health.

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Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a transient episode of neurologic dysfunction caused due to loss of blood flow to the brain or spinal cord without acute infarction. Depending on the area of the brain involved, symptoms of TIA vary widely from patient to patient. Since the blockage period in TIA is very short-lived, there is no permanent damage. Risk factors for TIA include family history of stroke or TIA, age above 55 years or older, higher risk of TIA in males than females, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and tobacco smoking. Genetics, race, and imbalance in lipid profile are other risk factors of TIA. TIA is usually diagnosed after taking a thorough history and a physical examination. Several radiological tests such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are useful in the evaluation of patients who have had a TIA. Ultrasound of the neck and an echocardiogram of the heart are other tests useful in the diagnosis and evaluation of the attack. The treatment following acute recovery from a TIA depends on the underlying cause. Patients who have more than 70% stenosis of the carotid artery, removal of atherosclerotic plaque is usually done by carotid endarterectomy surgery. One-third of the people with TIA can later have recurrent TIAs and one-third can have a stroke because of permanent nerve cell loss. Having a TIA is a risk factor for eventually having a stroke. Educating the patients and inculcating lifestyle modifications in them are initial steps to minimize the prevalence of transient ischemic attack.

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Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular surface disease that causes symptoms of ocular pain, discomfort, and decreased visual acuity. It significantly affects quality of life of patients. It is more prevalent in the females and is being specifically in the menopausal and postmenopausal age group. This is believed to be due to the changes in balance of sex hormones. Sex hormones – estrogens and androgens – influence production of all components of the tear film including aqueous layer, lipid, and mucin. Various mechanisms such as decrease in hormonal levels, shift in feedback mechanisms, and changes in receptor receptivity interplay to alter the ocular surface homeostasis and subsequently result in DED. Several studies have suggested potential role of hormone replacement therapy in menopause-associated dry eye symptoms. The purpose of this review is to help the non ophthalmic physicians about DED encountered commonly in menopausal age group. It is important for primary care physicians to understand DED due to its high prevalence, often debilitating symptoms and the potentially preventable and treatable nature of the condition.

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Hot flashes (HFs), defined as transient sensations of heat, sweating, flushing, anxiety, and chills lasting for 1–5 min, constitute one of the most common symptoms of menopause among women though only a few seek treatment for these. The basis of HFs lies in abnormal hypothalamic thermoregulatory control resulting in abnormal vasodilatory response to minor elevations of core body temperature. Recent data suggest an important role for calcitonin gene-related peptide, hypothalamic kisspeptin, neurokinin B and dynorphin signal system, serotonin, norepinephrine in causation of HFs in addition to estrogen deficiency which plays a cardinal role. The mainstay of treatment includes hormonal replacement therapy, selective serotonin, and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors in addition to lifestyle modification. In this review, we address common issues related to menopause HFs and suggest a stepwise approach to their management.

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A literature search was done using PubMed. The age at natural menopause (ANM) depends on various factors like genetic, environmental, socioeconomic, reproductive, dietary, and lifestyle of which some like nulliparity, vegetarian diet, smoking, high fat intake, cholesterol, and caffeine accelerates; while others like parity, prior use of oral contraceptive pills, and Japanese ethnicity delays the ANM. ANM is an important risk factor for long-term morbidity and mortality; and hence, the need to identify the modifiable risk factors like diet and lifestyle changes. Delayed menopause is associated with increased risk of endometrial and breast cancer, while early ANM enhances the risk for cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. The correlation between diet and ANM has not been extensively studied; however, whatever studies have been done till now point towards role of high intake of total calories, fruits, and proteins in delaying the ANM, while high polyunsaturated fat intake accelerates it. The role of dietary soy, total fat, saturated fat, red meat, and dietary fiber in determining the ANM has been controversial and needs further studies to substantiate it. The lifestyle factors like current smoking and vigorous exercise have been significantly associated with early menopause, while moderate alcohol consumption delays the ANM. Large prospective studies are needed to study the association of ANM and other modifiable factors like passive smoking fish consumption, soy, and various types of tea. The knowledge of modifiable determinants of ANM can help in setting up menopausal clinics and initiating health programs specially in developing countries.

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Introduction: Menopausal symptoms experienced by women are known to affect their quality-of-life. The symptoms experienced at menopause are quite variable and their etiology is found to be multifactorial. This study was hence done to assess the pattern and severity of menopausal symptoms and to find out the factors associated with these symptoms. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in various outreach clinics of Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Women in the age group of 40-65 years were included in the study by convenient sampling method. Data regarding menopausal symptom was obtained by interviewing each participant using the menopause rating scale questionnaire. Results: Mean age of the participants were 54.2 ± 7.2 years and mean age of attainment of menopause was 48.4 ± 4.5 years. Mean duration of menopause was found to be 7.5 ± 5.3 years. Commonest symptom reported was joint and muscular discomfort and physical and mental exhaustion seen in 94 (85.4%) participants. The mean number of symptoms reported by participants was 7.6 ± 2.8. Educated women reported significantly more symptoms (F = 2.218, P = 0.047). Somatic and urogenital symptoms were more among perimenopausal women and somatic symptoms were more among postmenopausal women. Fifty-eight (52.7%) participants had one or more severe symptoms. Severe symptoms were most among premenopausal women. Conclusion: The high proportion and severity of menopausal symptoms observed in this study group proves that menopausal symptoms are common and cannot be ignored. More of menopausal clinics are needed for awareness generation, early recognition and treatment of related morbidities.

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Introduction: During menopausal transition, there is a lot of fluctuation in the hormone levels making the peri and postmenopausal women susceptible to various mental and physical disorders. There is considerably lack of awareness about the effects of the menopausal symptoms in women in India. Studies on issues relating to menopause, especially among rural women, are also lacking. With this background, the current study was carried out in a rural area of West Bengal with the objective to assess the quality of life (QOL) of peri-menopausal women. Methodology: The study was carried out among 100 peri and postmenopausal women (40–60 years) in Dearah village of West Bengal which is the rural field practice area of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health during February–March 2014. The questionnaire used as study tool had two parts - Part 1: Sociodemographic characteristics. Part 2: About QOL due to menopausal symptoms based on four domains (vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual) using the 29-item Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire. Results: Occurrence of vasomotor symptoms was average with 60% of them reporting hot flushes and 47% sweating. Most prevalent psychosocial symptoms reported were feeling of anxiety and nervousness (94%) and overall depression (88%). Physical symptoms were quite varying in occurrence with some symptoms such as feeling tired or worn out, decrease in physical strength and lack of energy occurring in 93% of the women to only 5% suffering from growth of facial hair. Overall sexual changes were reported among 49% who reported of avoiding intimacy with a partner and 26% complained of vaginal dryness. Conclusions: The results support that menopause causes both physical and psychiatric problems. Education, creating awareness and providing suitable intervention to improve their QOL are important which should be imparted to menopausal women at both individual and community level.

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Different phases of a woman's life: Puberty, menses, pregnancy, and menopause have varied influence on her oral health. During the menopause, women go through biological and endocrine changes, particularly in their sex steroid hormone production, affecting their health. Because the oral mucosa contains estrogen receptors, variations in hormone levels directly affect the oral cavity. A few oral conditions and or diseases are seen more frequently during post menopausal years. Role of hormones affecting the health of oro-dental tissues, as well as treatment by HRT in ameliorating these conditions is not clear. There is paucity of randomized controlled trials in this field and more data is needed, before the recommendations for oral health care in post menopausal women can be made. A gynecologist sitting in menopausal clinic should be aware of oral changes happening during this period, and dental needs of these women and should refer them to the dental specialists accordingly. On the other hand, a dentist should also be sensitized about the menopausal status of the woman, her HRT status and special preventive and treatment needs.

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Urogenital infections are one of the most common causes for a woman to visit a gynecologist or a urologist. The well-known association between abnormal vaginal microbial flora and its formidable risk in the increased incidence of urinary tract infection underscores the importance of understanding the microbial flora and the efforts needed to maintain it, for ensuring urogenital health. Surprisingly in spite of the increased incidence urogenital infections receive very less attention from the medical fraternity. Growing awareness among people and newer advances in the medical field has brought them into the limelight. The importance of replenishing these depleting commensals with 'probiotics' has resurfaced in a big way. As the days go by science and medicines will touch new milestones, which will include probiotics. The value of a probiotics cannot be taken at face value. Probiotics must not be considered a panacea for treating urogenital infections. However, the available data promises that it will be a strong option in improving and maintaining urogenital health.

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Background: Menopausal health demands priority in Indian scenario due to increase in life expectancy and growing population of menopausal women. Most are either unaware or do not pay adequate attention to these symptoms. Aims: To find the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and perceptions regarding menopause among menopausal women of Kerala. Settings and Design: A community based cross-sectional house to house survey was conducted at Anjarakandy a field practice area under Kannur Medical College, Anjarakandy. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among 106 postmenopausal women staying more than 6 months at Anjarakandy with the help of pretested questionnaire administered by a trained social worker from January to October 2009. Before that a pilot study was conducted and required sample size of 100 was calculated. Random sampling of houses was done. Statistical Analysis: Data was coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS 15. Chi-square test, proportions, and percentages were used. Results: The mean age of attaining menopause was 48.26 years. Prevalence of symptoms among ladies were emotional problems (crying spells, depression, irritability) 90.7%, headache 72.9%, lethargy 65.4%, dysuria 58.9%, forgetfulness 57%, musculoskeletal problems (joint pain, muscle pain) 53.3%, sexual problems (decreased libido, dyspareunia) 31.8%, genital problems (itching, vaginal dryness) 9.3%, and changes in voice 8.4%. Only 22.4% of women knew the correct cause of menopause. Conclusions: Thus study stated that all the ladies were suffering from one or more number of menopausal symptoms. Ladies should be made aware of these symptoms, their causes and treatment respectively.

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Background: Perimenopause, also called the menopausal transition, is the interval in which a woman's body makes a natural shift from more-or-less regular cycles of ovulation and menstruation toward permanent infertility, or menopause. Materials and Methods: A retrospective age specific comparative analysis of 219 perimenopausal women presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding was done who underwent endometrial sampling during a 4-year period from January 2008 to April 2012 at the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Centenary Hospital. Endometrial tissue collected by sampling procedures such as dilatation and curettage (D and C), endometrial biopsy and fractional curettage had been sent to the pathology laboratory for evaluation. Results: The most common clinical presentation was represented by menorrhagia (46.4%) followed by metrorrhagia (20%), menometrorrhagia, polymenorrhea, polymenorrhagia among others. Evaluation of the endometrium revealed various patterns on histopathology, functional causes accounted for majority of the diagnosis. Secretory endometrium seen in 71 cases (32.4%) was the most common. While proliferative endometrium on histopathology was the second most common diagnosis; seen in 67 patients (30.5%). Endometrial hyperplasia was seen in 24 (10.9%) cases out of which simple hyperplasia without atypia was seen in 19, complex hyperplasia without atypia was seen in 4 and complex hyperplasia with atypia was seen in 1 case. The other diagnoses, which accounted for the rest of the functional causes of atypical uterine bleeding, were disordered proliferative endometrium 15 cases (6.8%), luteal phase defects 3 cases (1.3%). Conclusion: Atypical uterine bleeding in perimenopausal women is most commonly dysfunctional in origin. In addition, a significant number show underlying organic pathologies thereby highlighting the importance of endometrial curetting and biopsy as a diagnostic procedure in the evaluation.

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Background: There is very little data on the consequence of menopause on women in South East Asia region, especially from rural India. Importance is always given to reproductive health from menarche to menopause. Menopausal health demands priority in Indian scenario due to rising population of postmenopausal women. Objectives: The aim was to determine the mean age at attaining menopause and the prevalence of various self-reported menopausal symptoms complained by postmenopausal women (40-54 years). Furthermore, to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression among postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural area of New Delhi among 252 postmenopausal women from October 2011 to March 2013. A pretested, self-designed, semi structured, interview based, oral questionnaire was used. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences software Version 21.0 (SPSS) was used for analyses. Results: The mean age at attaining menopause was 46.24 (Standard Deviation = 3.38) years. Only 4 (1.6%) postmenopausal women had premature menopause. A total of 225 (89.3%) postmenopausal women experienced at least one or more menopausal symptom(s). The most common complaints of postmenopausal women were sleep disturbances (62.7%), muscle or joint pain (59.1%), hot flushes (46.4%) and night sweats (45.6%). A total of 32.1% (n=81) postmenopausal women suffered from depression and 21.0% (n=53) postmenopausal women suffered from anxiety. Conclusion: It is necessary to critically introspect health needs of postmenopausal women and specific components can be incorporated in the national health programs.

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This systematic review was done to assess the strength of association between osteoporosis and chronic periodontitis in postmenopausal women, assessed by bone mineral density (BMD) and clinical attachment loss, respectively. The Pubmed, Cochrane central, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched from year 1990 to 2015 for studies on association between chronic periodontitis and osteoporosis. Studies measuring osteoporosis in terms of central BMD and periodontitis in terms of clinical attachment level were studied. Data were extracted and descriptive analysis was performed. Screening of 1188 articles resulted in 24 articles for review after reading the titles and abstracts. Fifteen studies were shortlisted for inclusion in systematic review. Ten of these studies showed an association between periodontitis and osteoporosis. It implies that patients with severe periodontitis should also be evaluated for systemic bone health and vice versa.

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With a significant number of women belonging to the status of menopause and beyond, it is imperative to plan a comprehensive health program for them, including lifestyle modifications. Exercise is an integral part of the strategy. The benefits are many, most important being maintenance of muscle mass and thereby the bone mass and strength. The exercise program for postmenopausal women should include the endurance exercise (aerobic), strength exercise and balance exercise; it should aim for two hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Every woman should be aware of her target heart rate range and should track the intensity of exercise employing the talk test. Other deep breathing, yoga and stretching exercises can help to manage the stress of life and menopause-related symptoms. Exercises for women with osteoporosis should not include high impact aerobics or activities in which a fall is likely. The women and the treating medical practitioner should also be aware of the warning symptoms and contraindications regarding exercise prescription in women beyond menopause. The role of exercise in hot flashes, however, remains inconclusive. Overall, exercising beyond menopause is the only noncontroversial and beneficial aspect of lifestyle modification and must be opted by all.

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Osteoporosis is a chronic disease of the osseous system characterized by decreased bone strength and increased fracture risk. It is due to an imbalance in the dynamic ongoing processes of bone formation and bone resorption. Currently available osteoporosis therapies like bisphosphonates, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), and denosumab are anti-resorptive agents. Parathyroid hormone analogs like teriparatide are the only anabolic agents currently approved for osteoporosis treatment. The side-effects and limited efficacy of the presently available therapies has encouraged extensive research into the pathophysiology of the disease and newer drug targets for its treatment. The novel anti-resorptive agents being developed are newer SERMs, osteoprotegerin, c-src (cellular-sarcoma) kinase inhibitors, α_Vβ₃ integrin antagonists, cathepsin K inhibitors, chloride channel inhibitors, and nitrates. Upcoming anabolic agents include calcilytics, antibodies against sclerostin and Dickkopf-1, statins, matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein fragments activin inhibitiors, and endo-cannabinoid agonists. Many of these new drugs are still in development. This article provides an insight into the emerging drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis.

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Context: Functional ability considered a proxy for healthy aging, not only related to mental and physical health but it also determines social well-being. Eliciting the determinants of functionality components among the elderly will assist in evolving with appropriate plans at both domiciliary and facility level to eliminate their sufferings and disabilities. Aim: The aim of this study is to find out the magnitude of poor functional status among the elderly and its predictors. Materials and Methods: This is a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 246 geriatric people in a rural area of West Bengal from August 2017 to December 2017; data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 16.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc.). Logistic regression analysis was performed to find out the factors associated with poor functional status (activities of daily living [ADL] and instrumental ADL [IADL]). Results: The study concluded that 32.4% and 59.3% were dependent for basic ADL and IADL, respectively. Binary logistics showed people aged >70 years, female gender, less than primary level education, widowed/separated, who lived in the joint family, poorest percentile of economic status, who were depressed and who suffered from multimorbidity had increased odds of dependency for ADL and IADL. In multivariate logit regression, age >70 years and depression remained significant for ADL; in addition, marital status, education, and family type remained significant for IADL. Conclusion: There should be a provision for community-based comprehensive geriatric health and disability assessment, as it enables older people to avert the illness at the early stage, to delay the onset of disabling diseases. This will ensure their participation in the upliftment of the society, and they thus will be less dependent on their progeny.

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Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of risk factors for future development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Menopausal transition with its incidental hormonal changes is considered to contribute to the development of MS. However, age is known to influence MS risk factors. Objective: The present study explores the prevalence of MS in pre- and postmenopausal women from western India. Methods: Four hundred and ninety eight women above 35 years of age, participating in women's health care program were assessed for the prevalence of MS using two criteria- International Diabetes Federation criteria (IDF) and Harmonization (H_MS) criteria. Results: Prevalence of MS amongst postmenopausal women was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that in premenopausal women by both, IDF (premenopausal 45% and postmenopausal 55%) and H_MS criteria (premenopausal 44% and postmenopausal 56%). However, this significance disappeared when data was adjusted for the confounding variable of age.

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Objective: To evaluate the health status, age of menopause, and its symptomatology amongst Himachali middle-aged women. Materials and Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was done from Jul 07 to Jan 08. A structured questionnaire was given to 100 menopausal women from general community of Himachal Pradesh in Shimla. Results: Mean age of menopause was 44.54 years. Main symptoms associated with menopause were reported as fatigue (62%), hot flashes (56%), Cold sweats (52%), and backaches (51%). Other ailments associated with menopause were arthritis (25%), hypertension (23%), and diabetes (6%). Conclusion: Mean age of menopause was 44.54 years. Chief comorbid conditions were arthritis and hypertension.

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Context: Falls are a major public health problem in the elderly population. Fear of falling (FOF) among elderly persons can compromise quality of life by limiting mobility, diminished sense of well-being and reduced social interactions. India is undergoing a demographic transitional phase with urban elderly population of 6.72% in 2001. The major challenge would be on the prevention of falls among them. Hence there is a need to highlight the problems related to fall faced by the elderly in India. Objective: To study the prevalence of FOF and its correlates among the elderly population in urban area. Materials and Methods: 250 elderly subjects above 60 years were randomly selected from urban area and interviewed for FOF using Short Fall Efficacy Scale-I (FES-I) , history of falls and risk factors. Results: The prevalence of FOF among the elderly was 33.2%. The significant correlates of FOF were educational status, family type, associated health problems, history of fall in past 6 months, worried of fall again among fallers, fearfulness of fall again among fallers, restriction of daily activities and depression among them. The insignificant correlates were gender and socio-economic status. Conclusion: FOF is a health problem among the elderly living in urban India needs urgent attention. It represents a significant threat to socialization, independence and morbidity or mortality. Knowledge of correlates of FOF may be useful in developing multidimensional strategies to reduce it among elderly.

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There is an increase in population of elderly above the age of 65. As age advances, more diseases develop resulting in use of more medications. Physiological changes, alterations in homeostatic regulation and diseases modify pharmacokinetics and drug response in older patients. The risk for drug interactions and drug-related problems increases along with multiple medications. Periodic evaluation of the patients' drug regimen is essential to minimize polytherapy. Clinicians must be alert to the use of herbal and dietary supplements as they are prone to drug-drug interactions. This article focuses on the possible pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and herbal drug interactions occurring in the elderly.

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Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) has a significant impact on the quality of life for many women. Most women do not seek medical attention for this condition. Treatment for this problem includes initial conservative therapies and then surgery is an option. More than 200 surgical procedures have been described in the literature for the treatment of stress incontinence. The gold-standard surgical treatment of SUI in patients with a mobile bladder neck and normally functioning urethra has been accomplished through a retropubic approach using either a Burch or Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz procedure. By the absolute success of Trans obturator tape (TOT) application in treatment of SUI and the niche it has created for itself in the maze of treatment modalities available for SUI, there seems to be little doubt that TOT is all set to become the new Gold Standard for treatment of SUI in times to come. It is difficult to imagine any further improvements in the midurethral sling procedures or surgeries for SUI. However 10 years ago, no one could have imagined the progress and development that has been seen over these few short years in the treatment of SUI. The future may hold promise in technologies such as stem cells that may be injected in or around the urethral support structures and provide regeneration of the lacking support structures. What so ever, it's definitely time to provide millions of women with knowledge that empowers them to make lifestyle changes to decrease their risk of SUI and to understand the reality that they are not alone if they have SUI.

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