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 .
Symptom reporting and quality of life in the Estonian Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy Trial
Background The aim of the study was to determine the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy on women 's symptom reporting and quality of life in a r and omized trial . Methods 1823 women participated in the Estonian Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy ( EPHT ) Trial between 1999 and 2004 . Women were r and omized to open-label continuous combined hormone therapy or no treatment , or to blind hormone therapy or placebo . The average follow-up period was 3.6 years . Prevalence of symptoms and quality of life according to EQ-5D were assessed by annually mailed question naires . Results In the hormone therapy arms , less women reported hot flushes ( OR 0.20 ; 95 % CI : 0.14–0.28 ) , sweating ( OR 0.56 ; 95 % CI : 0.44–0.72 ) , and sleeping problems ( OR 0.66 ; 95 % CI : 0.52–0.84 ) , but more women reported episodes of vaginal bleeding ( OR 19.65 ; 95 % CI : 12.15–31.79 ) . There was no difference between the trial arms in the prevalence of other symptoms over time . Quality of life did not depend on hormone therapy use . Conclusion Postmenopausal hormone therapy decreased vasomotor symptoms and sleeping problems , but increased episodes of vaginal bleeding , and had no effect on quality of life . Trial registration numberIS RCT
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 .