Tackling polycystic ovary syndrome

doi:10.1136/dtb.2001.3911-a

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2001;39:1-5; doi:10.1136/dtb.2001.3911-a

Tackling polycystic ovary syndrome

Up to one-third of women in the UK have polycystic ovaries (i.e.10 or more follicles per ovary detected on ultrasound).¹ Anestimated one-third of these women have polycystic ovary syndrome,²usually defined in the UK as polycystic ovaries together withone or more characteristic features (hirsutism, male-patternbaldness, acne, oligomenorrhoea or amenorrhoea, obesity, orraised serum concentrations of testosterone and/or luteinisinghormone [LH]).³ The metabolic abnormalities often associatedwith polycystic ovary syndrome (insulin resistance and abnormalserum lipid concentrations) also put some women with the syndromeat increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus.⁴ Here, wereview the management of women with polycystic ovary syndrome.