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 .
Postmenopausal hormone therapy, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and brain volumes
Objective : To examine whether the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy ( HT ) on brain volumes in women aged 65–79 years differs depending on type 2 diabetes status during postintervention follow-up of a r and omized controlled clinical trial . Methods : The Women 's Health Initiative r and omized clinical trials assigned women to HT ( 0.625 mg/day conjugated equine estrogens with or without 2.5 mg/day medroxyprogesterone acetate ) or placebo for an average of 5.6 years . A total of 1,402 trial participants underwent brain MRI  2.4 years after the trials ; these were repeated in 699 women 4.7 years later . General linear models were used to assess the interaction between diabetes status and HT assignment on brain volumes . Results : Women with diabetes at baseline or during follow-up who had been assigned to HT compared to placebo had mean decrement in total brain volume of −18.6 mL ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] −29.6 , −7.6 ) . For women without diabetes , this mean decrement was −0.4 ( 95 % CI −3.8 , 3.0 ) ( interaction p = 0.002 ) . This interaction was evident for total gray matter ( p < 0.001 ) and hippocampal ( p = 0.006 ) volumes . It was not evident for changes in brain volumes over follow-up or for ischemic lesion volumes and was not influenced by diabetes duration or oral medications . Conclusions : For women aged 65 years or older who are at increased risk for brain atrophy due to type 2 diabetes , prescription of postmenopausal HT is associated with lower gray matter ( total and hippocampal ) volumes . Interactions with diabetes and insulin resistance may explain divergent findings on how estrogen influences brain volume among older women
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 .