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2004 - Analysis of Women’s Health Initiative Hormone Therapy Study raises issue of heart disease |
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Note: hormone therapy (HT) may also be referred to as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Comment
Women’s health experts at the Jean Hailes Foundation say that it is important to understand what conclusions can be drawn from The Women’s Health Initiative Study (WHI).
The review of data published as a special consideration paper in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility highlighted the lack of relevance to younger women considering hormone therapy to treat symptoms around the time of the menopause. The authors are critical in their analysis of the WHI studies when applied to hormone therapy for symptom management in younger women.
For this group of women the WHI data does not have the statistical power to show risks or benefits for cardiovascular disease, emphasising that the WHI study results cannot be extrapolated to this population.
"The Women’s Health Initiative studies were randomised controlled trials of hormone therapy versus placebo, aimed at investigating the role of hormones in chronic disease prevention.
Of note, this line of inquiry did not extend to evaluate the risks or benefits of oestrogen used around the time of menopause for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. It should therefore be emphasised that the results of the trials should not extend to the roles of hormone therapy during the menopausal transition.
It is important that WHI data may generally not be relevant to menopausal women who may require symptomatic treatment.
We also need to remember the major messages regarding heart disease in women. It is our biggest killer and is primarily lifestyle related. Lifestyle intervention, screening for, and management of risk factors including high blood pressure and cholesterol are critically important in heart disease prevention.”
Dr Helena Teede, Endocrinologist at the Jean Hailes Foundation |
The Jean Hailes Foundation strongly encourages women to discuss any issues they may have about their individual treatment with their health professional. The findings of the studies reinforce to women the importance of the use of hormone therapy being tailored to individual needs, addressing potential risks and benefits.
The Women's Health Initiative could not have detected cardioprotective effects of starting hormone therapy during the menopausal transition.
Naftolin F, Taylor HS, Karas R, Brinton E, Newman I, Clarkson TB, Mendelsohn M, Lobo RA, Judelson DR, Nachtigall LE, Heward CB, Hecht H, Jaff MR, Harman SM. Fertil Steril. 2004 Jun;81(6):1498-501. |
Content updated June 29, 2004
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 22 December 2007 )
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