Donna R Chizen
University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Title: A practical approach to the clinical management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Biography
Biography: Donna R Chizen
Abstract
As health care providers we need to make use of opportunities to engage women with PCOS to be involved in the management of their health. There is a tendency to address each presenting symptom as they turn up and miss opportunities to motivate healthy lifestyle practices that will improve symptoms and prevent future problems and disease. How and when can we motivate change? Teaching about the pathophysiology of PCOS will provide women with a global understanding about why symptoms such as weight gain, irregular bleeding and anovulation occur. The pathophysiology becomes more meaningful when personalmetabolic test results are translated to provide reasons to make changes. Theunique and ideal times to motivate women to be involved with the management of their health and the future wellbeing of their families occurs first at the time of diagnosisand again when problems need to be addressed. PCOS is often poorly understood by patients. Women believe that they have pathological ovarian cysts. The relationship between hyperinsulinemia and hirsutism, anovulation, diabetes and cancer is not appreciated. It is important to educate women to understand how lifestyle changes may offset hyperinsulinemia. Evidence based management of PCOS will be reviewed. Clinical cases will illustratetimes when women have common, significant presenting complaints. Practical management strategies will be offered that can help to motivate healthy changes & improve the pathogenesis of women’s journeys with PCOS.