RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Hormone replacement therapy reestablishes the diminished hormonal level and reduces mild, moderate and severe effects of climacteric. Its treatment includes estrogens, progestagens and a mixture of both. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of intranasal and oral estrogens in the climacteric syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 60 patients were evaluated with climacteric syndrome; 30 received intranasal estrogens (group A) and 30 received oral estrogens (group B). Age range, 34-64 years. The symptoms were classified as vasomotor, collagen related symptoms and tropic changes. The patients were evaluated four times a week, and the symptoms were measured as mild, moderate and severe according with the Guía de evaluación de riesgo en la paciente climatérica. RESULTS: Group A (intranasal estrogens) showed faster clinical response in the first two weeks (63%), compared with group B (30%). No side effects were found in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Climacteric syndrome can be treated better and faster with intranasal estrogens than with oral estrogens, and without side effects.