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 .
Effect of Oral Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement on Progression of Atherosclerosis: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Abstract —Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) is associated with low cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in epidemiological studies . Yet , no r and omized trial has examined whether HRT is effective for prevention of coronary heart disease ( CHD ) in women with increased risk . The objective of this study was to determine whether HRT can slow progression of atherosclerosis , measured as intima-media thickness ( IMT ) in carotid arteries . Carotid IMT is an appropriate intermediate end point to investigate clinical ly relevant effects on atherogenesis . This r and omized , controlled , observer-blind , clinical , single-center trial enrolled 321 healthy postmenopausal women with increased IMT in ≥1 segment of the carotid arteries . For a period of 48 weeks , subjects received either 1 mg/d 17&bgr;-estradiol continuously plus 0.025 mg gestodene for 12 days every month ( st and ard-progestin group ) , or 1 mg 17&bgr;-estradiol plus 0.025 mg gestodene for 12 days every third month ( low-progestin group ) , or no HRT . Maximum IMT in 6 carotid artery segments ( common , bifurcation , and internal , both sides ) was measured by B-mode ultrasound before and after intervention . HRT  did not slow IMT progression in carotid arteries . Mean maximum IMT in the carotid arteries increased by 0.02±0.05 mm in the no HRT group and by 0.03±0.05 and 0.03±0.05 mm , respectively , in the HRT groups ( P > 0.2 ) . HRT  significantly decreased LDL cholesterol , fibrinogen , and follicle-stimulating hormone . In conclusion , 1 year of HRT was not effective in slowing progression of sub clinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women at increased risk
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 .