Hormone Therapy: A Shift in Thinking Changes in hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) Over the past decades, hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) was thought to offer health- and
youth-preserving benefits to postmenopausal women. But recent
studies have led to a dramatic shift from this way of thinking.
One large study done by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) has
shown that HRT does not protect against heart disease. In fact,
in a small number of women who are 10 or more years past
menopause, it causes heart disease, including heart attacks.8 In
the WHI study, short-term use of HRT was also linked to an
increase in the numbers of strokes and blood clots. Using HRT
for several years was linked to increased cases of breast cancer
and dementia. Overall, most women using HRT in the WHI study had
no serious side effects, but they also had no long-term
benefits. Among all women, average hormone therapy risks are
very low. Your personal risks may be lower or higher than the
average. This depends on your risk factors for