Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cardiovascular Diseases in Women With Vasomotor Symptoms

Which women are candidates for menopausal hormone therapy (HT)?In the Women’s Health Initiative trials including 27 347 postmenopausal women, HT relieved moderate and severe vasomotor symptoms and did not significantly affect atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in younger women; in contrast, HT increased cardiovascular disease risk in women older than 70 years with vasomotor symptoms.The findings support recommendations for treatment of vasomotor symptoms in younger postmenopausal women but underscore the need to avoid HT in women after age 70 years.

Corresponding Author: Jacques E. Rossouw, MD, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 6705 Rockledge Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892 (jrossouw@whi.org).

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