HRT ‘cuts heart disease and helps you live longer’

Women who take hormone replacement therapy to cope with the symptoms of the menopause may live longer, research suggests.

A trial of 4,200 menopausal women concluded that HrT could protect against heart disease.

scientists found women in their 50s and 60s who took HrT pills had a 30 per cent lower chance of dying during the eight years they were monitored.

The American researchers think the oestrogen in HrT stops major arteries blocking, furring and stiffening – the main causes of heart attacks and strokes. They found women who took the pills had a 36 per cent lower chance of high calcium levels in their heart – a key indicator of heart attack risk and arterial blockage.

study leader Dr Yoav Arnson, from the Cedars-sinai medical Centre in California, said: ‘With proper screening and proper follow-up, from a cardiovascular standpoint, I believe it is beneficial to take hormone replacement therapy.

‘our results confirm and enhance previous work in terms of showing lower atherosclerosis [arterial blockage]. In addition, we’ve shown very clear survival benefits of using hormone replacement therapy.’

An estimated one million British women take HrT to cope with the menopause, which commonly strikes in the late 40s and early 50s. HrT tackles symptoms such as depression, hot flushes and night sweats by providing the oestrogen that the body stops producing.

But the numbers who take the drug have plummeted since the early 2000s, when major studies raised concerns that it raised the risk of certain forms of cancer.

Increasing evidence, however, suggests the threat of cancer may have been overstated, and that HrT may also protect against other health problems, including heart disease.

Dr Arnson said oestrogen probably protects the heart by reducing cholesterol and increasing the flexibility of blood vessels and arteries, allowing them to accommodate blood flow.

This may explain why women are more likely to suffer heart attacks after the menopause.

‘Hormone replacement therapy resulted in lower atherosclerosis and improved survival for all age groups and for all levels of coronary calcium,’ he said.

‘From this we do think it is beneficial, but we would need prospective or randomised studies to determine which groups might not benefit or even be harmed by this therapy.’ He stressed that HrT was not suitable for everyone. Women who have already had a heart attack, have heart disease or a history of blood clots are advised against taking the treatments.

Dr Jasmine Just, of Cancer research uK, said last night: ‘HrT is an effective treatment for symptoms of the menopause, but it can also increase the risk of certain cancers. Whether or not to use HrT is an individual choice. If you are considering using HrT, it’s a good idea to discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.’

emily reeve, of the British Heart Foundation, added: ‘To draw any firm conclusions, we need data from larger trials, as previous research has also shown some forms of HrT could increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.’

‘Beneficial to take it’