Hormone therapy for the menopause is associated with a slight increase in cardiovascular risk when taken orally
A team from Denmark has analysed data from thousands of women aged between 50 and 69 to investigate a possible link between taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause and an increased risk of vascular disease. The results suggest that oral HRT is associated with an increased risk of blood clots in the legs or lungs, regardless of the dose or duration of treatment. A slight increase in the risk of stroke and heart attack was also observed, but only when the oral therapy was taken at high doses and over a prolonged period. In contrast, no increased risk was observed with hormone therapy when it was administered transdermally, through the skin. The study is published in The BMJ.
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