March 2009 Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource Highlights Molecular Breast Imaging, Canes and Walkers, Training for an Event and Hormone Therapy...(ts nuts whole grains and low-fat dairy p...),Health

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Hormone Therapy for Women: Neither All Good or All Bad

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- When it comes to hormone therapy, the pendulum continues to swing. It's not swinging to all good or all bad as it has seemed to in the past. Its role in women's health is somewhere in the middle, according to a Special Report on Hormone Therapy, a supplement to the March issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

The Special Report covers the history of this therapy, risks and benefits, current uses, hormone substitutes, alternative therapies and new directions in treatment and research.

Among the report's highlights:

A history of good and bad: In the 1980s and 1990s, doctors freely prescribed hormone therapy to relieve menopause systems and to help prevent heart disease and osteoporosis. In 2002, a large study called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) found that older women taking estrogen plus a synthetic form of progesterone (progestin) had a small but increased risk of heart disease, stroke, breast cancer and blood clots. Because of this research, many women discontinued hormone therapy.

Still effective for menopause symptom relief: Hormone therapy remains one of the most effective treatments for severe menopausal symptoms. Most experts consider it a safe and reasonable option for women with troublesome symptoms.

Dosage and delivery methods to reduce risks: Doctors now advise using the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time to manage symptoms and minimize risk. Several drug delivery options other than pills may be effective and safer. For example, direct application of a very low dose of estrogen cream can relieve vaginal dryness while minimizing widespread side effects.