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 .
Neither long-term treatment with raloxifene nor hormone replacement therapy modulate cardiac function in healthy postmenopausal women: two randomized, placebo-controlled, 2-year studies.
OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to investigate the long-term effects of raloxifene , compared with opposed and unopposed estrogen replacement therapy , on echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular systolic function in healthy postmenopausal women . A total of 157 women were studied in 2 r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled , 2-year studies . STUDY DESIGN In study I , 60 postmenopausal women who had undergone hysterectomy received daily raloxifene , 60 mg ( n = 15 ) ; raloxifene , 150 mg ( n = 15 ) ; conjugated equine estrogens ( CEE ) , 0.625 mg ( n = 15 ) ; or placebo ( n = 15 ) . In study II , 97 postmenopausal women who had not undergone hysterectomy received daily raloxifene , 60 mg ( n = 24 ) ; raloxifene , 150 mg ( n = 24 ) ; CEE , 0.625 mg , plus medroxyprogesterone acetate ( MPA ) , 2.5 mg ( n = 24 ) ; or placebo ( n = 25 ) . M-mode , quantitative 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic measurements were performed at baseline and after 1 and 2 years . RESULTS Neither after 1 year nor after 2 years of treatment were echocardiographic parameters found to differ from baseline in both raloxifene groups , as well as in the unopposed CEE and the CEE/MPA groups , compared with the placebo group . CONCLUSION Within 2 years of raloxifene treatment , no effect on echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular systolic function was found . Unopposed CEE or CEE/MPA also showed no effect
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 .