Chak
2012-10-10 02:05:20 UTC
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/bmj-htf100812.php
(press release quoted in full)
HRT taken for 10 years significantly reduces risk of heart failure and
heart attack
Without any increased risk of cancer, deep vein thrombosis or stroke
HRT therapy has been subject to much discussion due to both positive
effects (reduced risk of cardiovascular disease) and negative effects
(increased risk of breast cancer). A paper published in the BMJ Group's
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare back in January
cast doubt on the "unreliable" Million Women Study which associated HRT
with an increased risk of breast cancer.
Conflicting results have led clinicians to believe that time since
menopause until HRT is initiated can account for differences in
cardiovascular outcome. So authors from Denmark carried out a randomised
trial over 10 years with additional six years of follow-up to establish
whether HRT can reduce cardiovascular risk if it is started early after
menopause.
1006 women (504 in HRT group and 502 in non-HRT group) were included in
the study and all were white, healthy, recently menopausal and aged 45-
58 years old. Women who'd had a hysterectomy were only included if they
were aged 45-52. Exclusion criteria were if they had a history of bone
disease, uncontrolled chronic disease, previous or current cancer,
current or previous use of HRT within the past three months and alcohol
or drug addiction. All data on diagnoses or death were taken from the
Danish Civil Registration System and National Hospital Discharge
Register. The primary end-point was a combination of death and
hospitalisation for a heart attack or heart failure.
After 10 years of randomised treatment the women were encouraged to
discontinue the use of HRT due to the results from the Women's Health
Initiative and the Million Women Study. During this period, 26 women in
the non-HRT group died and 33 died or experienced a cardiovascular end-
point, compared to 15 deaths and 16 deaths or cardiovascular end-points
in the HRT group.
The women were followed for another six years. During this time, the
primary end-point was seen in 53 women in the non-HRT group (40 deaths,
eight heart failures and five heart attacks) and 33 in the HRT group (27
deaths, three heart failures and three heart attacks).
Causes of death were 23 cardiovascular deaths and 17 non-cardiovascular
deaths in the non-HRT group and six cardiovascular deaths and 21 non-
cardiovascular deaths in the HRT group.
The study also found that women who had undergone a hysterectomy and
younger women taking HRT had a significantly reduced risk of death or
breast cancer.
The authors conclude that women treated with long term HRT early after
menopause "had significantly reduced risk of mortality, heart failure,
or myocardial infarction [heart attack], without any apparent increase
of cancer, venous thromboembolisms [DVT] or stroke." However, they
stress that "due to the potential time lag longer time may be necessary
to take more definite conclusions."
(end of press release)
I don't really know what to say about this. Anybody?
Chak
(press release quoted in full)
HRT taken for 10 years significantly reduces risk of heart failure and
heart attack
Without any increased risk of cancer, deep vein thrombosis or stroke
HRT therapy has been subject to much discussion due to both positive
effects (reduced risk of cardiovascular disease) and negative effects
(increased risk of breast cancer). A paper published in the BMJ Group's
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare back in January
cast doubt on the "unreliable" Million Women Study which associated HRT
with an increased risk of breast cancer.
Conflicting results have led clinicians to believe that time since
menopause until HRT is initiated can account for differences in
cardiovascular outcome. So authors from Denmark carried out a randomised
trial over 10 years with additional six years of follow-up to establish
whether HRT can reduce cardiovascular risk if it is started early after
menopause.
1006 women (504 in HRT group and 502 in non-HRT group) were included in
the study and all were white, healthy, recently menopausal and aged 45-
58 years old. Women who'd had a hysterectomy were only included if they
were aged 45-52. Exclusion criteria were if they had a history of bone
disease, uncontrolled chronic disease, previous or current cancer,
current or previous use of HRT within the past three months and alcohol
or drug addiction. All data on diagnoses or death were taken from the
Danish Civil Registration System and National Hospital Discharge
Register. The primary end-point was a combination of death and
hospitalisation for a heart attack or heart failure.
After 10 years of randomised treatment the women were encouraged to
discontinue the use of HRT due to the results from the Women's Health
Initiative and the Million Women Study. During this period, 26 women in
the non-HRT group died and 33 died or experienced a cardiovascular end-
point, compared to 15 deaths and 16 deaths or cardiovascular end-points
in the HRT group.
The women were followed for another six years. During this time, the
primary end-point was seen in 53 women in the non-HRT group (40 deaths,
eight heart failures and five heart attacks) and 33 in the HRT group (27
deaths, three heart failures and three heart attacks).
Causes of death were 23 cardiovascular deaths and 17 non-cardiovascular
deaths in the non-HRT group and six cardiovascular deaths and 21 non-
cardiovascular deaths in the HRT group.
The study also found that women who had undergone a hysterectomy and
younger women taking HRT had a significantly reduced risk of death or
breast cancer.
The authors conclude that women treated with long term HRT early after
menopause "had significantly reduced risk of mortality, heart failure,
or myocardial infarction [heart attack], without any apparent increase
of cancer, venous thromboembolisms [DVT] or stroke." However, they
stress that "due to the potential time lag longer time may be necessary
to take more definite conclusions."
(end of press release)
I don't really know what to say about this. Anybody?
Chak
--
I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to
seriously re-evaluate your life.
--Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes
I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to
seriously re-evaluate your life.
--Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes