Menopausal hormone treatment in postmenopausal women: risks and benefits

Abstract

Our objectives in this review were to examine the relevant menopausal hormone treatment (MHT) trials in postmenopausal women during the past 3 decades, provide an insight analysis of these studies from a clinical point of view, determine the efficacy and applicability of hormone therapy in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and provide suggestions on the use of MHT as a cardiovascular disease prophylaxis based on the available data. MHT may have a more complicated role in cardiovascular protection, and there is a need for further research to elucidate the dose and type of estrogen, its route of administration, the time of MHT initiation, and the preventive role of MHT in women's health.