Women taking HT had a significantly decreased incidence of fracture with long-term use .
Research ers found no strong evidence that HT has a clinical ly meaningful impact on the incidence of colorectal cancer .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS : Women with intolerable menopausal symptoms may wish to weigh the benefits of symptom relief against the small absolute risk of harm arising from short-term use of low-dose HT , provided they do not have specific contraindications .
HT may be unsuitable for some women , including those at increased risk of cardiovascular disease , increased risk of thromboembolic disease ( such as those with obesity or a history of venous thrombosis ) or increased risk of some types of cancer ( such as breast cancer , in women with a uterus ) .
The risk of endometrial cancer among women with a uterus taking oestrogen-only HT is well documented .
HT is not indicated for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease or dementia , nor for prevention of deterioration of cognitive function in postmenopausal women .
Although HT is considered effective for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis , it is generally recommended as an option only for women at significant risk for whom non-oestrogen therapies are unsuitable .
BACKGROUND : Hormone therapy ( HT ) is widely provided for control of menopausal symptoms and has been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease , osteoporosis and  dementia in older women .
This is an up date d version of a Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES : To assess effects of long-term HT ( at least 1 year 's duration ) on mortality , cardiovascular outcomes , cancer , gallbladder disease , fracture and cognition in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women during and after cessation of treatment .
Effects of ultralow-dose transdermal estradiol on postmenopausal symptoms in women aged 60 to 80 years
Objective : To investigate the effect of ultralow-dose transdermal estradiol on postmenopausal symptoms and side effects in a cohort of largely asymptomatic postmenopausal women aged 60 to 80 years . Design : This secondary analysis used data from the UltraLow-dose Transdermal estRogen Assessment trial , a r and omized , placebo-controlled , double-blind trial in postmenopausal women to determine the skeletal effects and safety of ultralow-dose transdermal estradiol .  Four hundred seventeen postmenopausal women , aged 60 to 80 years , were r and omly assigned to receive either unopposed transdermal estradiol at 0.014 mg/d ( n = 208 ) or placebo ( n = 209 ) . Participants were queried at each clinic visit about postmenopausal symptoms and side effects purported to be associated with estrogen therapy using a st and ardized question naire . Results : At baseline , 16 % of women reported hot flashes , 32 % reported vaginal dryness , and 35 % reported trouble sleeping . Women who received ultralow-dose estradiol were no more likely to report improvement of hot flashes , vaginal dryness , or sleep difficulties than those who received placebo . Treatment with ultralow-dose estradiol did not cause breast tenderness , uterine bleeding , or other symptoms often attributed to estrogen , but vaginal discharge was more common in women who received estradiol compared with those who received placebo . Conclusion : In this population of older , largely asymptomatic women , ultralow-dose transdermal estradiol did not improve postmenopausal symptoms and did not cause side effects other than vaginal discharge . Further study is needed to determine whether this dose of transdermal estradiol is effective in treating symptoms of postmenopause in younger , more symptomatic women
Women taking HT had a significantly decreased incidence of fracture with long-term use .
Research ers found no strong evidence that HT has a clinical ly meaningful impact on the incidence of colorectal cancer .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS : Women with intolerable menopausal symptoms may wish to weigh the benefits of symptom relief against the small absolute risk of harm arising from short-term use of low-dose HT , provided they do not have specific contraindications .
HT may be unsuitable for some women , including those at increased risk of cardiovascular disease , increased risk of thromboembolic disease ( such as those with obesity or a history of venous thrombosis ) or increased risk of some types of cancer ( such as breast cancer , in women with a uterus ) .
The risk of endometrial cancer among women with a uterus taking oestrogen-only HT is well documented .
HT is not indicated for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease or dementia , nor for prevention of deterioration of cognitive function in postmenopausal women .
Although HT is considered effective for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis , it is generally recommended as an option only for women at significant risk for whom non-oestrogen therapies are unsuitable .
BACKGROUND : Hormone therapy ( HT ) is widely provided for control of menopausal symptoms and has been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease , osteoporosis and  dementia in older women .
This is an up date d version of a Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES : To assess effects of long-term HT ( at least 1 year 's duration ) on mortality , cardiovascular outcomes , cancer , gallbladder disease , fracture and cognition in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women during and after cessation of treatment .