University news

A Glasgow academic is looking to recruit 40 women to take part in a study investigating what causes hot flushing, a common symptom of the female menopause.

Dr Jenifer Sassarini, a clinical research fellow in the department of Developmental Medicine, says 70 - 80% of women in the menopausal transition will experience hot flushing and in 25% of these cases, symptoms will be so severe that they will affect daily life.  

In the majority of women, hot flushing resolves itself during a year or two, but there are a number of women, between 15 - 20%, who will continue to experience flushes for 20 years. As life expectancy is increasing, this is a significant problem, says Dr Sassarini. 

The study follows a similar project carried out three years ago by another Glasgow academic that examined the differences between women who flush and women who do not flush.

Dr Sassarini explained: “We are looking for 40 women who are between the age of 45 and 65, who experience flushing more than 20 times a week and who are not taking any medication for hot flushes or blood pressure. 

“The results of the previous study are only starting to become available now, but from what we have already there appears to be some differences in women who flush compared to women who don’t flush, particularly in the way that their blood vessels work.  It is this that we wish to continue to study and also to look at whether treatment with a non-HRT type drug will affect these differences.”

To volunteer or for more information please contact Dr. Jenifer Sassarini Clinical Research Fellow, on 0141 232 9533 or  0141 232 9537 or J.Sassarini@clinmed.gla.ac.uk

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First published: 22 February 2010