In relatively healthy women , combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism or coronary event ( after one year 's use ) , stroke ( after three years ) , breast cancer and gallbladder disease .
Long-term oestrogen-only HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism , stroke and gallbladder disease ( after one to two years , three years and seven years ' use respectively ) , but did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer .
The only statistically significant benefits of HT were a decreased incidence of fractures and ( for combined HT ) colon cancer , with long-term use .
Among women aged over 65 who were relatively healthy ( i.e. generally fit , without overt disease ) and taking continuous combined HT , there was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of dementia .
Among women with cardiovascular disease , long-term use of combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS HT is not indicated for the routine management of chronic disease .
We need more evidence on the safety of HT for menopausal symptom control , though short-term use appears to be relatively safe for healthy younger women
BACKGROUND Hormone therapy ( HT ) is widely used for controlling menopausal symptoms and has also been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease , osteoporosis and dementia in older women .
This is an up date d version of the original Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of long-term HT on mortality , cardiovascular outcomes , cancer , gallbladder disease , cognition , fractures and quality of life .
Venous thrombosis and conjugated equine estrogen in women without a uterus.
BACKGROUND Postmenopausal hormone therapy has been associated with a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of  venous thromboembolism ( VT ) ( including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism ) in observational studies and secondary prevention clinical trials . Clinical trial data on the effects of estrogen alone on VT are limited . METHODS The Women 's Health Initiative estrogen trial enrolled 10 739 women aged 50 to 79 years without a uterus . Participants were r and omly assigned to receive conjugated equine estrogen ( 0.625 mg/d ) or placebo . RESULTS During a mean of 7.1 years , VT occurred in 111 women r and omly assigned to receive estrogen ( 3.0 per 1000 person-years ) and 86 r and omly assigned to receive placebo ( 2.2 per 1000 person-years ; hazard ratio , 1.32 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.99 - 1.75 ) . Deep venous thrombosis was reported in 85 women r and omly assigned to receive estrogen ( 2.3 per 1000 person-years ) and 59 r and omly assigned to receive placebo ( 1.5 per 1000 person-years ; hazard ratio , 1.47 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.06 - 2.06 ) . The VT risk was highest in the first 2 years . There were no significant interactions between estrogen use and age , body mass index , or most other VT risk factors . Comparison of Women 's Health Initiative VT findings for estrogen and previous Women 's Health Initiative findings for estrogen plus progestin showed that the hazard ratios for estrogen plus progestin were significantly higher than those for estrogen alone ( P = .03 ) , even after adjusting for VT risk factors . CONCLUSION An early increased VT risk is associated with use of estrogen , especially within the first 2 years , but this risk increase is less than that for estrogen plus progestin
In relatively healthy women , combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism or coronary event ( after one year 's use ) , stroke ( after three years ) , breast cancer and gallbladder disease .
Long-term oestrogen-only HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism , stroke and gallbladder disease ( after one to two years , three years and seven years ' use respectively ) , but did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer .
The only statistically significant benefits of HT were a decreased incidence of fractures and ( for combined HT ) colon cancer , with long-term use .
Among women aged over 65 who were relatively healthy ( i.e. generally fit , without overt disease ) and taking continuous combined HT , there was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of dementia .
Among women with cardiovascular disease , long-term use of combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thrombo-embolism .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS HT is not indicated for the routine management of chronic disease .
We need more evidence on the safety of HT for menopausal symptom control , though short-term use appears to be relatively safe for healthy younger women
BACKGROUND Hormone therapy ( HT ) is widely used for controlling menopausal symptoms and has also been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease , osteoporosis and dementia in older women .
This is an up date d version of the original Cochrane review first published in 2005 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of long-term HT on mortality , cardiovascular outcomes , cancer , gallbladder disease , cognition , fractures and quality of life .