In relatively healthy women , combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism or coronary event ( after one year 's use ) , stroke ( after three years ) , breast cancer and gallbladder disease .
Long-term oestrogen-only HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism , stroke and gallbladder disease ( after one to two years , three years and seven years ' use respectively ) , but did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer .
The only statistically significant benefits of HT were a decreased incidence of fractures and ( for combined HT ) colon cancer , with long-term use .
Among women aged over 65 who were relatively healthy ( i.e. generally fit , without overt disease ) and taking continuous combined HT , there was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of dementia .
Among women with cardiovascular disease , long-term use of combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS HT is not indicated for the routine management of chronic disease .
We need more evidence on the safety of HT for menopausal symptom control , though short-term use appears to be relatively safe for healthy younger women
BACKGROUND Hormone therapy ( HT ) is widely used for controlling menopausal symptoms and has also been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease , osteoporosis and dementia in older women .
This is an up date d version of the original Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of long-term HT on mortality , cardiovascular outcomes , cancer , gallbladder disease , cognition , fractures and quality of life .
Hot flushes during the menopause transition: a longitudinal study in Australian-born women
Objective : To investigate factors associated with the presence , severity , and frequency of hot flushes . Design : A 9-year prospect i ve study of 438 Australian-born women , aged 45 to 55 years and menstruating at baseline .  Annual fasting blood collection , physical measurements , and interviews including questions about bothersome hot flushes in previous 2 weeks were performed . A “ hot flush index ” score was calculated from the product of the severity and frequency data . Data were analyzed using r and om-effects time-series regression models . Results : A total of 381 women supplied complete data over the follow-up years . A total of 350 women experienced the menopause transition , of whom 60 ( 17 % ) never reported bothersome hot flushes . At baseline , women who reported hot flushes were significantly more likely to have higher negative moods , not be in full- or part-time paid work , smoke , and not report exercising every day . Over the 9-year period of the study , variables significantly associated with reporting bothersome hot flushes were relatively young age ( P < 0.001 ) , low exercise levels ( P < 0.05 ) , low estradiol levels ( P < 0.001 ) , high follicle-stimulating hormone ( FSH ) levels ( P < 0.001 ) , smoking ( P < 0.01 ) , being in the late menopause transition ( P < 0.001 ) , or being postmenopausal ( P < 0.001 ) . In women reporting hot flushes , the hot flush index score increased as their FSH levels increased ( P < 0.01 ) , as they entered the late stage of the menopause transition ( P < 0.001 ) , and as they became postmenopausal ( P < 0.05 ) , and decreased with as their age ( P < 0.001 ) and exercise level ( P < 0.05 ) increased . Between-women analyses found that the hot flush index score was greater in women with higher average FSH levels over time ( P < 0.05 ) . Conclusion : Menopause status , FSH and estradiol levels , age , exercise level , and smoking status all contributed to the experience of bothersome hot flushes
In relatively healthy women , combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism or coronary event ( after one year 's use ) , stroke ( after three years ) , breast cancer and gallbladder disease .
Long-term oestrogen-only HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism , stroke and gallbladder disease ( after one to two years , three years and seven years ' use respectively ) , but did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer .
The only statistically significant benefits of HT were a decreased incidence of fractures and ( for combined HT ) colon cancer , with long-term use .
Among women aged over 65 who were relatively healthy ( i.e. generally fit , without overt disease ) and taking continuous combined HT , there was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of dementia .
Among women with cardiovascular disease , long-term use of combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS HT is not indicated for the routine management of chronic disease .
We need more evidence on the safety of HT for menopausal symptom control , though short-term use appears to be relatively safe for healthy younger women
BACKGROUND Hormone therapy ( HT ) is widely used for controlling menopausal symptoms and has also been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease , osteoporosis and dementia in older women .
This is an up date d version of the original Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of long-term HT on mortality , cardiovascular outcomes , cancer , gallbladder disease , cognition , fractures and quality of life .