HRT Review
To start your online HRT review, just fill in the short form below. We’ll ask you a few questions to help you get started. In-person attendance at the practice is not required at this stage.
As part of this online review, you’ll need to record your blood pressure using a home monitor. We’ve included some guidance on how to do this. If you’re unable to take a reading at home, please book an appointment at the practice at your earliest convenience. We’ll need this information before we can safely issue your next prescription.
Our clinical team at Barclay Medical Practice actively monitors and reviews all online HRT review submissions. Once you send yours in, one of our clinicians will check your responses and reach out by phone or text if any changes to your medication are needed.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment used to relieve symptoms brought on by menopause by replenishing the hormones that naturally decline during this stage of life. These hormones are called oestrogen and progesterone.
Oestrogen and progesterone play important roles in the body. When their levels drop naturally during menopause, this can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, sleep problems, anxiety/mood swings, and vaginal dryness.
You can usually begin HRT as soon as you start experiencing menopausal symptoms and will not usually need to have any tests first. However, a blood test to measure your hormone levels may be carried out if you’re aged 40 to 45. Blood tests may also be carried out to help diagnose suspected premature menopause if you’re under 40 and have menopausal symptoms.
Once you’ve started HRT treatment with us, it is advised by the NHS and by our practice to take it for a few months to see if it works well for you. If not, you can try a different type, change the dosage or discuss any concerns you have with us during your HRT review.
Clinical information taken from NHS Inform.
There are two main types of HRT:
- combined HRT (oestrogen and progestogen) – for patients who still have their womb
- oestrogen-only HRT – for patients who have had their womb removed in a hysterectomy
Oestrogen and progestogen can be taken in various different forms, including tablets, patches, implants and topical gels and sprays. The type of HRT that’s best for you depends on different factors, like if you’ve had a hysterectomy (womb removal procedure), what stage of menopause you’re at and your personal preferences.
Like all hormonal treatments, HRT has both benefits and risks. According to the NHS, the risks of serious side effects from HRT are very low and depend on your age, your menopause symptoms and any risk factors you already have.
One possible risk is that HRT can slightly increase the likelihood of breast cancer in older patients who take it continuously for extended periods of time, and in patients who have a history of breast cancer. If you’ve had breast cancer you’ll usually be advised not to take HRT.
HRT tablets can also increase the risk of blood clots in patients who are already prone to them. If you are prone to blood clots, you’ll be likely advised to use HRT patches, spray or gel rather than tablets.
If you’re under 60 years old, have menopause symptoms, and are not at high risk of breast cancer or blood clots, the benefits of HRT are likely to outweigh the risks.
Clinical information taken from nhs.uk and NHS Inform.
As part of your HRT review, you will be asked to check your blood pressure at home using a blood pressure monitor. If it’s your first time doing this, here are some simple instructions to guide you.
These steps apply to most clinically-validated blood pressure monitors. Individual monitor settings may vary.
- In order to take an accurate blood pressure reading, make sure that you’re resting and that you’re not feeling anxious or stressed.
- Sit upright in a chair with your back comfortably positioned against the back of the chair, and place your feet flat on the floor.
- Rest your arm on a table or any flat surface. Make sure your hand and arm are relaxed. Do not clench your fist.
- Place the cuff over your upper arm and tighten the cuff over your arm, making sure you can fit two fingers underneath the cuff. You want the cuff to be over the upper part of your arm with the tubing leading down the centre or slightly to the right of your arm. Once you’ve positioned your arm correctly and put on the cuff, make sure to relax your body and to keep still and quiet, otherwise the accuracy of your reading might be affected.
- Whenever you’re ready, press the “on” button, followed by the “start” button. You’ll feel the cuff inflate quite rapidly. You may also feel slight discomfort as the cuff inflates and deflates automatically, but this will only be for a short period of time. If it becomes too uncomfortable for you, just press the “stop” button and the cuff will instantly deflate.
- Once you get your reading, record it.
- (Optional) Wait 5–10 minutes, then take your blood pressure again by repeating steps 2 to 6. This helps to make sure the readings you get are similar and accurate, and is especially useful if this is your first time taking your own blood pressure at home.
Blood pressure (BP) is given in two numbers:
- Systolic pressure – The pressure when your heart pushes blood out around your body
- Diastolic pressure – The pressure when your heart rests between beats and blood is pushed around your heart
The systolic pressure is always the highest number and it is always given first. For example, a blood pressure reading given as 120 over 80 or 120/80 means a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic pressure of 80.
A normal blood pressure reading is below 140/90, but if you have CVD, diabetes or kidney disease, your blood pressure should ideally be below 130/80.
You will need an at-home blood pressure monitor to take your own readings and use them to complete your HRT review. If you don’t have one yet, you can find a wide range of clinically-validated blood pressure monitors at most pharmacies and online.
Unable to take a reading at home? Book an appointment with us so we can help you do this in the practice.
