Resumen

CAPOTE BUENO, María Isabel; SEGREDO PEREZ, Alina María  y  GOMEZ ZAYAS, Omar. Climateric and menopause. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2011, vol.27, n.4, pp. 543-557. ISSN 0864-2125.

The experience of menopause for each woman is different and among women of different cultures or origin. Menopause is not the end of the life, but the onset of a stage occupying almost the third part of the female life; by other hand, it is proposed that climateric is not the final of existence, but the stage leaving open the doors for the enjoyment of a new way that must to take place with less stress and with less burden. According to the concepts of health, mental health and sexual health from the World Health Organization, nothing may to prevent that climateric woman be able to has a mentally and sexually life; thus, the health professional must to be updated on all those elements having an effect on a better performance and on the expression of completeness of physical, psychic and social possibilities of the woman during this stage. In present paper authors deepen in the historical and conceptual features of climateric and the menopause, the essential elements related to the main symptoms and signs of climateric, the risk factors present in this stage, as well as the therapeutical behavior to take into account for its appropriate management in the integral care by the health professionals.

Palabras clave : Climateric; menopause; perimenopause; posmenopause.