Note: hormone therapy (HT) may also be referred to as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) is best known for its research about the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (also know as Hormone Therapy). However, other useful information is afforded from the huge masses of information collected in large study such as this.
Cardiovascular disease and cancer, particularly breast cancer are important health issues for women. Researchers at Wayne State University investigated the relationship between use of the Pill (oral contraceptives) for some 67,000 women screened for the WHI study and what impact that had on their cardiovascular health and cancer risk.
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In a study led by Dr Rahi Victory1, the team found a strong relationship between use of the Pill and reduced risk of multiple cardiovascular disease-related outcomes.
Analysis showed that there was an 8 per cent lower risk of heart disease among the women in the survey who had taken the Pill.
However, the data also showed that increasing age, elevated body mass index and smoking, greatly increased the risks, even for women on the Pill.
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A further study from Dr Victory’s group2 found that a history of oral contraceptive use significantly reduces risks of any cancer, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, while demonstrating no effect on breast cancer.
"This is great news because it's a large, randomised, controlled trial, so it's the gold standard of research," said Elizabeth Farrell, consultant gynaecologist and Director of The Jean Hailes Foundation.
"It's very reassuring, especially because the women in the trial are between the age of 50 and 79, so they would have been on the Pill during the very early days of the Pill when it was prescribed in very high doses, unlike now.
"This now says to us that the use of the oral contraceptive pill is not going to increase their risk of heart disease or cancer."
The Jean Hailes Foundation strongly encourages each woman to discuss the benefits and risks of hormone therapy, as well as oral contraceptives, with her health practitioner.
References
1. Abstract No. O-130, Adverse Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Are Reduced in Women with A History of Oral Contraceptive Use
2. Abstract No. O-259, Reduced Cancer Risks in Oral Contraceptive Users
The 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine October 16-20, 2004 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Resources
Women's Health Initiative Information
Content updated November 03, 2004
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