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Hormone Replacement Therapy May Increase Risk of Bloodclots or Stroke

| March 13, 2015 Comment

Hormone Replacement Therapy May Increase Risk of Bloodclots or Stroke, according to a new study published by the Cochrane Library.

Hormone therapy involves replacing the female hormones, estrogen and progestin, that women lose the ability to make after menopause. Until recently, HRT was often prescribed to those going through menopause to ease their hot flashes, night sweats, and other symptoms, and also to prevent heart disease and dementia. But recent research has shown that HRT may pose some serious health risks. The study from the Cochrane group seems to confirm those results.

The new study tracked women over 40,000 women who were on hormone therapy for at least six months and found that there was no evidence to support the theory that it protects women from any cause, particularly not from heart disease. Instead, the study showed the the risk of stroke and blood clots (deep-vein thrombosis) increased slightly in postmenopausal women.

The risks and benefits increased depending on the age and medical history of the women when they started the hormone therapy.  According to lead researcher Dr Henry Boardman, the findings needed careful consideration.

“This is a complicated health issue, where the same treatment offers benefits in some women, but harms in others.”

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