www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/what-menopause">menopause transition, the life phase that's the bookend to puberty and when a woman's menstrual cycle stops, is a hotly debated topic. While hormone therapy, or replacing the hormones that were previously produced by the body with synthetic medication, is recommended to manage bothersome symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, Matthew Nudy, assistant professor of medicine at the Penn State College of Medicine, said there's confusion about the long-term effects of hormone therapy, especially on cardiovascular health.
However, long-term use of estrogen-based hormone therapies may have beneficial effects on heart health, according to a new study, led by Nudy. A multi-institutional team analyzed data from hormone therapy clinical trials that were part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) - a long-term national study focused on menopausal women - and found that estrogen-based hormone therapy improved biomarkers associated with cardiovascular health over time. In particular, the study suggests that hormone therapy may lower levels of lipoprotein(a), a genetic risk factor associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
Their findings were published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. The study adds to the understanding of the complex interaction between hormone therapy and heart health, providing additional guidance to patients and doctors, according to Nudy.
"The pendulum has been swinging back and forth as to whether hormone therapy is safe for menopausal women, especially from a cardiovascular disease perspective," Nudy said. "More recently, we're recognizing that hormone therapy is safe in younger menopausal women within 10 years of menopause onset, who are generally healthy and who have no known cardiovascular disease."
