The respiratory system and the menopause

Abstract

There is a decline in respiratory function with age that is independent of sex. However, women present with respiratory illness twice as commonly as men. This review will examine the effects of ovarian steroids on normal and abnormal respiratory function. The effects of age, menopausal status and hormone replacement therapy on specific symptoms such as dyspnoea, cough, airway hyper-responsiveness and snoring will be examined. Studies examining the effects of menopausal status and hormone replacement on the respiratory system are limited. While hormone replacement therapy may predispose to asthma, its use in women with the disease does not have an adverse effect.