Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Overview and Management

    January 2019 in “ The Nurse Practitioner
    Mary Lauren Pfieffer
    Image of study
    TLDR PCOS is a common hormonal disorder in women, treated with lifestyle changes, medication, and patient education.
    The document from 2019 provides an overview of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), affecting 6% to 10% of women according to the US National Institutes of Health criteria, with prevalence potentially up to 15% to 20% under other criteria. It is characterized by symptoms such as hyperandrogenism, menstrual irregularities, and metabolic syndrome, with obesity present in up to 76% of patients and insulin resistance in 65% to 70%. Diagnosis involves history, physical exam, lab tests, and sometimes pelvic transvaginal ultrasound. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, oral contraceptive pills, antiandrogens like spironolactone and finasteride for hirsutism and hair loss, and metformin for insulin resistance. Education is crucial for improving patient quality of life. Weight loss is important but challenging due to insulin resistance. For adolescents, metformin or OCPs are first-line treatments, and for those seeking to conceive, clomiphene is recommended, with metformin as an adjunct if necessary. Management of PCOS in perimenopausal and menopausal women includes addressing insulin resistance and hirsutism. Nurse practitioners play a key role in managing PCOS through medication, lifestyle modification, and patient education to enhance long-term health outcomes.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    7 / 7 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 8 results

      community DHT levels after 4 weeks of Fina and 8 weeks of Fina + 4 weeks of Duta

      in Update  37 upvotes 6 years ago
      The user reported early stage diffuse hair thinning and increased DHT levels after 4 weeks on Finasteride and 8 weeks on Finasteride plus 4 weeks on Dutasteride, despite the medications being authentic and stored properly. They are considering increasing their Dutasteride dosage due to the lack of side effects and are unsure if the treatment is helping their hair.

      community Dutasteride is amazing even for women with FAGA!

      in Female  151 upvotes 4 days ago
      Dutasteride significantly improved hair health and reduced shedding for a woman with PCOS and hyperandrogenism, without causing depression or anxiety, unlike finasteride. Dutasteride also helped with PMDD symptoms and had no side effects, though it changed hair texture.

      community Proposed new pathogenesis model for androgenetic alopecia (AGA)

      in Research/Science  8 upvotes 2 years ago
      The conversation discusses a new model for understanding androgenetic alopecia (AGA), linking it to dietary and lifestyle factors similar to PCOS, and highlighting the role of DHT, vascular damage, and inflammation. Treatments mentioned include Minoxidil, finasteride, and RU58841.

      community Spironolactine Update: 2 months (34, Female)

      in Female  22 upvotes 8 years ago
      A female user's experience using Spironolactone to treat Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) and Androgenic Alopecia, as well as discussing the effectiveness of the drug at different dosages.

    Related Research

    4 / 4 results