Report spells out risks over HRT

IN BRIEF

WOMEN who use certain types of hormone treatments during the menopause are at a higher risk of developing potentially lifethreatening blood clots, new research suggests.

The study found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) tablets are associated with a higher risk of rare but serious blood clots known as venous thromboembolism.

But GP leaders have warned patients not to panic or stop taking HRT and to discuss any concerns with their doctor.

HRT is used to relieve symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats and reduce the risk of certain health conditions in women going through the menopause, researchers said.

The University of Nottingham team behind the research said that while all treatments are effective in managing menopausal symptoms, an increased risk of blood clots is a rare but serious side effect.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, used the data from QResearch and CPRD primary care databases to compare patient records from more than 2,000 English GP surgeries and hospital records from 1998 to 2017. The researchers compared the HRT prescription records of more than 80,000 women aged 40-79 who developed blood clots against those of more than 390,000 women who did not.

It found that women taking HRT tablets were up to twice as likely to be at risk, and had a 70% risk compared with other forms of HRT.