We found high quality evidence that hormone therapy in both primary and secondary prevention conferred no protective effects for all-cause mortality , cardiovascular death , non-fatal myocardial infa rct ion , angina , or revascularisation .
There was no strong evidence of effect on risk of stroke in this group .
Our review findings provide strong evidence that treatment with hormone therapy in post-menopausal women overall , for either primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease events has little if any benefit and causes an increase in the risk of stroke and venous thromboembolic events
BACKGROUND Evidence from systematic review s of observational studies suggests that hormone therapy may have beneficial effects in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease events in post-menopausal women , however the results of r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) have had mixed results .
This is an up date d version of a Cochrane review published in 2013 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of hormone therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women , and whether there are differential effects between use in primary or secondary prevention .
Secondary aims were to undertake exploratory analyses to ( i ) assess the impact of time since menopause that treatment was commenced ( ≥ 10 years versus < 10 years ) , and where these data were not available , use age of trial participants at baseline as a proxy ( ≥ 60 years of age versus < 60 years of age ) ; and ( ii ) assess the effects of length of time on treatment .
17 Beta-estradiol and continuous norethisterone: a unique treatment for established osteoporosis in elderly women.
Forty women aged 64.7 + /- 5.1 yr with established postmenopausal osteoporosis were blindly allocated to 1 yr 's treatment with either continuous combined estrogen/progestogen therapy ( 2 mg estradiol + 1 mg norethisterone acetate + 500 mg calcium daily ) or placebo + 500 mg calcium daily . In the group treated with hormones bone mineral density in the spine ( dual photon absorptiometry ) and bone mineral content in the ultradistal forearm ( single photon absorptiometry ) increased highly significantly by 8 - 10 % during the 1 yr of treatment . Bone mineral content in the mid-shaft of the forearm ( single photon absorptiometry ) and the total body bone mineral ( dual photon absorptiometry ) increased by 3 - 5 % when compared to that in the placebo group , which showed virtually unchanged values at all measurement sites . Seven of the women treated with hormones were examined after a further year of treatment . BMC increased by another 3 - 6 % , reaching a 12 % increase in bone mineral density in the spine after 2 yr of treatment . Biochemical estimates of bone resorption ( fasting urinary calcium and hydroxyproline ) and bone formation ( serum alkaline phosphatase and plasma osteocalcin ) , decreased significantly ( P less than 0.001 ) in the group treated with hormones , but remained unchanged in the placebo group . The reduction in indices of bone resorption was more pronounced than that in bone formation after one year , indicating a positive bone balance . No further changes were seen in these bone turnover parameters during the second year of treatment . In the group treated with hormones , serum levels of triglycerides , total cholesterol , and low density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased by about 12 % ( P less than 0.05-P less than 0.01 ) , whereas high density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased by about 8 % ( P less than 0.001 ) . The high density lipoprotein cholesterol/low density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio was unchanged . The hormone treatment did not produce any major side effects , and only minor bleedings were experienced by a few women . The present study demonstrates that treatment with female sex hormones in this particular combination is a realistic approach to the treatment of women with established postmenopausal osteoporosis
We found high quality evidence that hormone therapy in both primary and secondary prevention conferred no protective effects for all-cause mortality , cardiovascular death , non-fatal myocardial infa rct ion , angina , or revascularisation .
There was no strong evidence of effect on risk of stroke in this group .
Our review findings provide strong evidence that treatment with hormone therapy in post-menopausal women overall , for either primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease events has little if any benefit and causes an increase in the risk of stroke and venous thromboembolic events
BACKGROUND Evidence from systematic review s of observational studies suggests that hormone therapy may have beneficial effects in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease events in post-menopausal women , however the results of r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) have had mixed results .
This is an up date d version of a Cochrane review published in 2013 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of hormone therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women , and whether there are differential effects between use in primary or secondary prevention .
Secondary aims were to undertake exploratory analyses to ( i ) assess the impact of time since menopause that treatment was commenced ( ≥ 10 years versus < 10 years ) , and where these data were not available , use age of trial participants at baseline as a proxy ( ≥ 60 years of age versus < 60 years of age ) ; and ( ii ) assess the effects of length of time on treatment .