Hormone Therapy Safe, Effective for Women Entering Menopause

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To assess the effects of HRT in younger women, more than 40 experts from all over the world reviewed available data on the safety and efficacy of hormone replacement therapy, paying particular attention to four key areas: cardiovascular health, breast issues, cognition and bone health.

Findings from this summit were expected to be presented Tuesday at the World Congress on the Menopause in Madrid, Spain. Some of the key findings included:

• Combined estrogen and progesterone do not increase heart disease risk in women aged 50 to 59.
• Estrogen therapy alone decreased the risk of heart disease in women between 50 and 59.
• Hormone replacement therapy helps maintain bone health.
• Cognition isn't impaired by the use of hormones between 50 and 59; hormone therapy may help prevent some cognitive decline in this age group.
• Combined use of estrogen and progesterone may increase the risk of breast cancer after 5 years of use; estrogen-alone therapy appeared to bring no increase in risk of breast cancer after at least 7 years of use. The researchers felt the increase for breast cancer risk from hormone therapy was small, especially when compared to other risk factors, such as obesity.

Lobo said there are women who definitely shouldn't take HRT: those who already have heart disease, those who've had breast cancer, and women with a history of blood clots.

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McNeil said she doesn't recommend HRT for women with multiple risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, a strong family history, or smokers.

"A woman who's healthy and has symptoms, [such as hot flashes or vaginal dryness], going into menopause will reap some quality of life benefits from hormones," said Lobo, who added that the protective effects seen in bone health and in cardiovascular risk are additional benefits for women taking hormones for symptom relief.

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