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 .
Venous thrombosis and conjugated equine estrogen in women without a uterus.
BACKGROUND Postmenopausal hormone therapy has been associated with a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of  venous thromboembolism ( VT ) ( including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism ) in observational studies and secondary prevention clinical trials . Clinical trial data on the effects of estrogen alone on VT are limited . METHODS The Women 's Health Initiative estrogen trial enrolled 10 739 women aged 50 to 79 years without a uterus . Participants were r and omly assigned to receive conjugated equine estrogen ( 0.625 mg/d ) or placebo . RESULTS During a mean of 7.1 years , VT occurred in 111 women r and omly assigned to receive estrogen ( 3.0 per 1000 person-years ) and 86 r and omly assigned to receive placebo ( 2.2 per 1000 person-years ; hazard ratio , 1.32 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.99 - 1.75 ) . Deep venous thrombosis was reported in 85 women r and omly assigned to receive estrogen ( 2.3 per 1000 person-years ) and 59 r and omly assigned to receive placebo ( 1.5 per 1000 person-years ; hazard ratio , 1.47 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.06 - 2.06 ) . The VT risk was highest in the first 2 years . There were no significant interactions between estrogen use and age , body mass index , or most other VT risk factors . Comparison of Women 's Health Initiative VT findings for estrogen and previous Women 's Health Initiative findings for estrogen plus progestin showed that the hazard ratios for estrogen plus progestin were significantly higher than those for estrogen alone ( P = .03 ) , even after adjusting for VT risk factors . CONCLUSION An early increased VT risk is associated with use of estrogen , especially within the first 2 years , but this risk increase is less than that for estrogen plus progestin
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 .