Premenstrual Syndrome

Abstract

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a recurrent constellation of affective and physical symptoms that begin during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and resolve completely or almost completely during the follicular phase. Symptoms range in severity from mild to severe. The pathophysiology of PMS is discussed in this chapter, and potential causes are listed in a table. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis are reviewed. To warrant medical attention, evaluation, and intervention, premenstrual symptoms must be recurrent and sufficiently severe to interfere with daily work and social activities. Mild cases of PMS can be treated with lifestyle modification (e.g., good sleep patterns, regular exercise) and nonpharmacologic therapy (e.g., bright-light therapy, stress management, behavioral therapy). More severe cases warrant aggressive intervention, with pharmacologic therapy and even surgery in women who respond very well to a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and have completed childbearing. This review contains 1 figure, 5 tables and 51 references Key Words: Premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, anxiogenic progesterone metabolites, estrogen, progesterone.