Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

See all Pictures & Images

Summary of risks/benefits

The WHI study shows relatively small increases in the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots, and stroke to an individual woman. However, when the entire population of postmenopausal women and the number of years a woman may be on HRT are considered -- the number of strokes, heart attacks, breast cancer cases, and blood clots appears to outweigh the protective effect of HRT on bones.

Some women may still wish to consider HRT for short-term treatment of menopausal symptoms. The key is to weigh the risks associated with taking HRT against a particular woman's risk of heart disease or osteoporosis without taking HRT. Every woman is different. Therefore, your entire medical history should be evaluated individually when considering HRT.