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 .
Comparison of transdermal and oral estrogen-progestin replacement therapy: effects on cardiovascular risk factors
Objective To determine the effects of oral and transdermal hormone replacement therapy on lipid profile and hemostatic factors in postmenopausal women . Design Twenty subjects were treated with oral E2 valerate ( 2 mg ) combined with cyproterone acetate ( 1 mg ) ( group I ) and 21 with transdermal E2 ( 1.5 mg ) plus oral medroxyprogesterone acetate ( 5 mg ) ( group II ) . The effects on lipid profile and hemostatic parameters were evaluated at baseline and after 3 , 6 , and 12 months of treatment . Results Group I showed a stronger increase of high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol levels ( 2–8 % ) and stronger reduction of atherogenic indices ( total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein/HDL cholesterol ) than group II . Group II showed a more pronounced reduction of triglyceride ( 21–31 % ) and factor VII ( 6–10 % ) levels than group I. Both groups showed reduced concentrations of total cholesterol , low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , tissue plasminogen activator , plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 , antithrombin III , and protein S , whereas protein C was increased after 12 months of treatment . Conclusions The cardioprotective effects of hormone replacement therapy are demonstrated by favorable effects on lipid profile and fibrinolytic activity . Oral hormone replacement therapy showed a more prominent effect on lipoprotein metabolism than did transdermal administration , but transdermal medication had a stronger effect on triglyceride and coagulation factors . However , it needs to be considered that there is an increased risk of venous thrombotic events in the first year of treatment
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 .