Postmenopausal hormone therapy and the risks of coronary heart disease, breast cancer, and stroke.

ABSTRACT: The principal findings are briefly reviewed from the Women's Health Initiative trials of the most commonly used postmenopausal hormone regimens in the United States-conjugated equine estrogens and these same estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone acetate. A more detailed review is presented for three major clinical outcomes: coronary heart disease (CHD), the primary trial outcome for which a major benefit was hypothesized; invasive breast cancer, the primary safety outcome for which some adverse effect was expected; and stroke which surfaced as an important adverse effect with both regimens, and one that is influential in decisions concerning the continued use of postmenopausal estrogens alone. The review for these outcomes includes an update on interactions of treatment effects with study sub

SUBMITTER: Prentice RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4212810 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature