Friday, October 12, 2007

Antidepressants Emerge as Coolant for Hot Flashes

Doctors are writing a new prescription for menopause: the antidepressant.

It’s not that all menopausal women are depressed. Instead, the antidepressant has emerged as the drug of choice among women searching for new ways to cool the hot flash.

There is no way to track how often antidepressants are prescribed to treat hot flashes, the unpredictable, sticky wave of heat that for many women is the defining symptom of menopause. None are specifically approved for hot flashes, and doctors who prescribe them are doing so “off label.”

READ MORE @ NY TIMES