This Non-Hormonal Hot Flash Treatment Works Round the Clock

Key TakeawaysVeozah is a non-hormonal medication to treat hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause.The drug decreased the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats during both the daytime and nighttime compared to a placebo, a new analysis shows.Having a safe and effective non-hormonal treatment for symptoms of menopause can improve quality of life and minimize long-term health risks, experts say.

Key Takeaways

Veozah is a non-hormonal medication to treat hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause.The drug decreased the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats during both the daytime and nighttime compared to a placebo, a new analysis shows.Having a safe and effective non-hormonal treatment for symptoms of menopause can improve quality of life and minimize long-term health risks, experts say.

The drugVeozah (fezolinetant). which became available in May, is a safe and effective non-hormonal treatment for the hot flashes and night sweats that often accompany menopause, according to a new study.

New analyses now show that the drug can cut the severity and intensity of those symptoms at night as well as during the day.

The drugmaker Astellas shared updates to two phase 3 clinical trials and patient experiences at the North American Menopause Societyconferencelast week.

The study included more than 1,000 women ages 40 to 65 years who experience a minimum average of seven hot flashes a day. Researchers analyzed the participants' frequency and severity of hot flashes and night sweats between 6 a.m. and midnight and between midnight and 6 a.m.

Participants taking the highest dose experienced an average of about three hot flashes a day during the daytime, down from nine before treatment. Those taking a placebo averaged more than five hot flashes in the same period. The Veozah group also had fewer hot flashes at night and the severity of their symptoms was reduced around the clock.

“If you have hot flashes, you shouldn’t suffer," said Genevieve Neal-Perry, MD, PhD, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina and lead author of the study. “It’s exciting to have a non-hormonal therapy that is really effective, and that is not associated with any significant risk for people.”

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A Non-Hormonal Option to Improve Sleep

Nighttime hot flashes can be particularly bothersome because of their tendency to disrupt sleep, saidNanette Santoro, MD,a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who specializes in reproductive endocrinology and menopause.

Poor sleep can impact cognition, possibly leading to poor work performance or an increased likelihood of accidents.Santoro said the study findings indicate that Veozah can reduce hot flashes for 24 hours.

“Practically speaking, this is good news because it does not seem to matter what time of day a woman takes the medication,” Santoro told Verywell in an email. “In my clinical practice, I find that my patients are usually more concerned about nighttime hot flashes, whereas daytime hot flashes, while annoying, are less disruptive to their lives and do not disrupt sleep.”

She said some patients who experience more intense hot flashes at night might do better taking the medication in the evening to ensure a higher level of the medication in their bloodstream overnight.

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Treating Hot Flashes Can Support Overall Health

People who have frequent and more intense hot flashes and night sweats are at an increased risk for other health problems over time.

For instance, people who experience frequent or severe hot flashes tend to be at higher risk for heart disease and metabolic diseases. Scientists are still learning about the reasons for the associations between vasomotor symptoms and certain chronic conditions.

“What we don’t know yet, although there is some data that suggests it, is if you can reduce the hot flashes, you can reduce some of the other downstream health problems,” Perry told Verywell.

Up to 80% of U.S. women experience vasomotor symptoms during menopause, and the symptoms can last for 7 to ten years or more after their last menstrual period.

“More than half of the population is poised to experience hot flashes at some point in their life, so not having effective treatment options is really, one could say, a true gap in care,” Perry said.

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Perry said the studies are relatively representative of the demographics in the U.S. That matters, she said, because people of color aremore likely to experiencehot flashes and night sweats than white people.

The studies also included people with abody mass index(BMI) over 25. Perry said many studies exclude patients with obesity even though they are at higher risk for more severe hot flashes.

BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is abiased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.

The data presented this week affirmed the safety of Veozah treatment. Most of the reported side effects were mild, like headaches and respiratory illnesses.

Compared to thedecades of datato understand the effects of hormone therapy, studies on Veozah are still relatively nascent.

Perry said researchers are still studying whether people who have hot flashes during the day are the same people as those who experience hot flashes at night, and how Veozah impacts patients’ quality of life. She said the company is planning a new observational study that will “get to some more of the meat of fezolinetant and how it compares to other treatments.”

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What This Means For YouIf you are experiencing symptoms related to menopause, talk with a health provider about your treatment options.

What This Means For You

If you are experiencing symptoms related to menopause, talk with a health provider about your treatment options.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neal-Perry G, Antonio C, Samuel L, et al.Safety of Fezolinetant for Vasomotor Symptoms Associated With Menopause: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Obstetrics & Gynecology2023;141(4):737-747. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000005114American Cancer Society.Menopausal hormone therapy after breast cancer.Neal-Perry G, Shapiro M, Thurston RC.Effect of fezolinetant on moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms according to time of day: pooled data from two randomized phase 3 studies.Menopause.2023. North American Menopause Society abstract P-63.Chattu V, Manzar Md, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence D, Pandi-Perumal S.The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications.Healthcare. 2018;7(1):1. doi:10.3390/healthcare7010001Ryu KJ, Park H, Park JS, et al.Vasomotor Symptoms: More Than Temporary Menopausal Symptoms.J Menopausal Med. 2020;26(3):147-153. doi:10.6118/jmm.20030Chattu V, Manzar Md, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence D, Pandi-Perumal S.The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications.Healthcare. 2018;7(1):1. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S365808Koo S, Ahn Y, Lim JY, et al.Obesity associates with vasomotor symptoms in postmenopause but with physical symptoms in perimenopause: a cross-sectional study.BMC Womens Health. 2017;17(1):126. doi:10.1186/s12905-017-0487-7

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neal-Perry G, Antonio C, Samuel L, et al.Safety of Fezolinetant for Vasomotor Symptoms Associated With Menopause: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Obstetrics & Gynecology2023;141(4):737-747. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000005114American Cancer Society.Menopausal hormone therapy after breast cancer.Neal-Perry G, Shapiro M, Thurston RC.Effect of fezolinetant on moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms according to time of day: pooled data from two randomized phase 3 studies.Menopause.2023. North American Menopause Society abstract P-63.Chattu V, Manzar Md, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence D, Pandi-Perumal S.The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications.Healthcare. 2018;7(1):1. doi:10.3390/healthcare7010001Ryu KJ, Park H, Park JS, et al.Vasomotor Symptoms: More Than Temporary Menopausal Symptoms.J Menopausal Med. 2020;26(3):147-153. doi:10.6118/jmm.20030Chattu V, Manzar Md, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence D, Pandi-Perumal S.The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications.Healthcare. 2018;7(1):1. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S365808Koo S, Ahn Y, Lim JY, et al.Obesity associates with vasomotor symptoms in postmenopause but with physical symptoms in perimenopause: a cross-sectional study.BMC Womens Health. 2017;17(1):126. doi:10.1186/s12905-017-0487-7

Neal-Perry G, Antonio C, Samuel L, et al.Safety of Fezolinetant for Vasomotor Symptoms Associated With Menopause: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Obstetrics & Gynecology2023;141(4):737-747. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000005114American Cancer Society.Menopausal hormone therapy after breast cancer.Neal-Perry G, Shapiro M, Thurston RC.Effect of fezolinetant on moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms according to time of day: pooled data from two randomized phase 3 studies.Menopause.2023. North American Menopause Society abstract P-63.Chattu V, Manzar Md, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence D, Pandi-Perumal S.The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications.Healthcare. 2018;7(1):1. doi:10.3390/healthcare7010001Ryu KJ, Park H, Park JS, et al.Vasomotor Symptoms: More Than Temporary Menopausal Symptoms.J Menopausal Med. 2020;26(3):147-153. doi:10.6118/jmm.20030Chattu V, Manzar Md, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence D, Pandi-Perumal S.The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications.Healthcare. 2018;7(1):1. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S365808Koo S, Ahn Y, Lim JY, et al.Obesity associates with vasomotor symptoms in postmenopause but with physical symptoms in perimenopause: a cross-sectional study.BMC Womens Health. 2017;17(1):126. doi:10.1186/s12905-017-0487-7

American Cancer Society.Menopausal hormone therapy after breast cancer.

Neal-Perry G, Shapiro M, Thurston RC.Effect of fezolinetant on moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms according to time of day: pooled data from two randomized phase 3 studies.Menopause.2023. North American Menopause Society abstract P-63.

Chattu V, Manzar Md, Kumary S, Burman D, Spence D, Pandi-Perumal S.The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications.Healthcare. 2018;7(1):1. doi:10.3390/healthcare7010001

Ryu KJ, Park H, Park JS, et al.Vasomotor Symptoms: More Than Temporary Menopausal Symptoms.J Menopausal Med. 2020;26(3):147-153. doi:10.6118/jmm.20030

Koo S, Ahn Y, Lim JY, et al.Obesity associates with vasomotor symptoms in postmenopause but with physical symptoms in perimenopause: a cross-sectional study.BMC Womens Health. 2017;17(1):126. doi:10.1186/s12905-017-0487-7

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Key Takeaways#

A Non-Hormonal Option to Improve Sleep#

Treating Hot Flashes Can Support Overall Health#

What This Means For You#

Key Takeaways

A Non-Hormonal Option to Improve Sleep

Treating Hot Flashes Can Support Overall Health

What This Means For You