Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement May or May Not Help With Heart Disease
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) with Estrogen and Progesterone may or may not change the risk of developing heart disease in postmenopausal women. This is according to a study published in the February issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
According to a new analysis of the ‘Women’s Health Initiative’ study, menopausal women, who took estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy, had a slightly increased risk of coronary heart disease within the first few years of treatment. The caveat is that the slightly increased risk was not statistically significant.
The study analyzed recently menopausal women and showed a slightly increased but insignificant risk of about 29% during the first two years of hormone use. This risk disappeared after six years of use. In fact, the researchers showed a possible protective effect against heart disease in women who used hormone replacement therapy for more than six years.
Hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women remains controversial and this most recent analysis does not clarify the issues. The current recommendations by the FDA for women to take hormone replacement therapy, if required, is to relieve symptoms of menopause, but to use it at the lowest dose and for the shortest time possible.
Cristopher Geiler, MD
Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(3):226.
Posted on February 17, 2010
