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 postmenopausal hormones on inflammation-sensitive proteins: the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions (PEPI) Study.
BACKGROUND Observational studies in healthy women suggest postmenopausal hormone therapy reduces risk of coronary events . In contrast , in a recent clinical trial of women with coronary disease , a subgroup analysis demonstrated increased risk during the early months of therapy . Because higher levels of inflammation factors predict vascular disease outcomes , the effect of hormones on these factors is of interest . METHODS AND RESULTS Four inflammation-sensitive factors , C-reactive protein , soluble E-selectin , von Willebr and factor antigen , and coagulation factor VIIIc were measured at baseline , 12 , and 36 months in 365 participants of the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions ( PEPI ) Trial , a r and omized , placebo-controlled trial of the effects of 4 hormone preparations on cardiovascular disease risk factors . Compared with placebo , all 4 active preparations result ed in a large sustained increase in the concentration of C-reactive protein and a decrease in soluble E-selectin ( P=0.0001 ) . There were no effects of treatment on concentrations of von Willebr and factor or factor VIIIc . There were no differences in effects among treatment arms . Relative to placebo , when combining active treatment arms , final concentrations of C-reactive protein were 85 % higher whereas E-selectin was 18 % lower compared with baseline . CONCLUSIONS Postmenopausal hormones rapidly increased the concentration of the inflammation factor C-reactive protein . Such an effect may be related to adverse early effects of estrogen therapy . In contrast , hormones reduced the concentration of soluble E-selectin , and this might be considered an anti-inflammatory effect . Because PEPI was not design ed to assess clinical endpoints , studies of the impact of hormone-mediated changes in inflammation on risk of subsequent coronary events are needed
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 .