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 .
Dose effects of oral estradiol on bone mineral density in Japanese women with osteoporosis
Objectives This 2-year study compared 0.5 and 1.0 mg oral estradiol ( E2 ) , with or without levonorgestrel ( LNG ) , for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Japanese women . Methods Japanese women with osteoporosis after natural menopause or bilateral oophorectomy were r and omized to receive E2 0.5 or 1.0 mg/day with LNG 40 μg as required , or placebo , for 52 weeks . Women treated with E2 in the first year continued therapy at the same doses in the second year . Efficacy , safety and pharmacokinetics were assessed . Results There were 73 women r and omized to E2 0.5 mg , 157 to E2 1.0 mg and 79 to placebo . Lumbar bone mineral density at 52 weeks increased significantly more with E2 1.0 mg ( p < 0.001 ) and 0.5 mg ( p < 0.001 ) than with placebo ( no change ) . After 2 years , a 10 % increase in bone mineral density with E2 1.0 mg was significantly greater than with E2 0.5 mg ( 8 % ; p = 0.008 ) . E2 was associated with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile , with slightly more adverse events  with E2 1.0 than 0.5 mg . Serum E2 concentration increased in a dose-dependent manner . Conclusion This study showed that E2 , at both 1.0 mg and 0.5 mg doses , was effective in increasing bone mineral density with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile in Japanese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis but that the bone mineral density response was higher with the 1.0 mg dose
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 .