Hormone Therapy and Heart Disease

“Women who initiate hormone therapy aged older than
60 years or more than 10 or 20 years from menopause
onset are at higher absolute risks of CHD, VTE, and…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy and Heart Disease Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Coronary Heart Disease
  • Heart Disease
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Ischemic Heart Disease
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)

Cardiovascular Diseases

What are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)?

DotS the definition of CVDs may vary. The World Health Organization’s definition is:

“CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease and other conditions”.2

Type

Hormone Therapy and Heart DiseaseHormone Therapy and heart Disease What can it be important to be clear about with hormone therapy (HT) and heart disease risk information?

It can be important to be clear about the type of HT and whether heart disease risk information is about – Estrogen Plus Progestogen HT or Estrogen-Alone HT.

Younger Than Age 60 or Not

What can it also be important to be clear about with HT and heart disease risk information?

It can also be important to be clear about whether HT and heart disease risk information is about women “younger than age 60 years or within 10 years of menopause” or not.

Younger Than Age 60

For women younger than age 60 or within 10 years of menopause, what is the association between HT and heart disease risk?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks, published July 2022, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) explain:

“Some studies suggest that HT might be good for your heart if you start before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause”.3

On page two in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

  • “Evidence from Cochrane database analysis suggests that HRT started before the age of 60 or within 10 years of the menopause may result in reduction in atherosclerosis progression, coronary heart disease and may lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality”.4

After Age 60

For women after age 60 or further than 10 years from menopause, what is the association between HT and heart disease risk?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks the NAMS also note:

“However, if you start HT further from menopause or after age 60, HT might slightly increase your risk of heart disease. Although there are risks associated with taking HT, they are not common, and most go away after you stop treatment”.5

On page 780 in The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality – Key Points published July 2022 and “endorsed by more than 20 well-respected international organizations”, one of the key points is:

“Women who initiate hormone therapy aged older than 60 years or more than 10 or 20 years from menopause onset are at higher absolute risks of CHD, VTE, and stroke than women initiating hormone therapy in early menopause. (Level I)”.6

What is Level I?

In this context “Level I: Based on good and consistent scientific evidence”.

What is CHD?

CHD can be an abbreviation for Coronary Heart Disease.

What is VTE?

VTE can be an abbreviation for Venous Thromboembolism.

Health Care Provider

If I choose to use HT what are my risks of heart disease?

Different women who choose to use HT can have different risks of heart disease. It may therefore be in your best interest to also choose to talk to your health care provider about this. In Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You? The Bottom Line: Hormone Therapy Isn’t All Good or All Bad the (United States) Mayo Clinic explain:

“To determine if hormone therapy is a good treatment option for you, talk to your doctor about your individual symptoms and health risks. Be sure to keep the conversation going throughout your menopausal years.

As researchers learn more about hormone therapy and other menopausal treatments, recommendations may change. If you continue to have bothersome menopausal symptoms, review treatment options with your doctor on a regular basis”.7

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy and Heart Disease?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy and Heart Disease?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Effects of Menopausal Hormone Therapy on Cardiovascular Diseases
  2. BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
  3. BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
  4. BMS TV: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
  5. BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  6. BMS TV: Menopause Explained
  7. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  8. Cardiovascular Diseases
  9. Coronary Heart Disease [+ Know the Difference]
  10. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  11. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  12. Deep Vein Thrombosis
  13. Different Heart Diseases
  14. Family History
  15. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  16. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  17. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  18. Getting Serious About Heart Health
  19. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
  20. Guidance on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  21. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  22. HRT: Benefits and Risks – What You Should Know
  23. Heart Disease and Stroke In Women
  24. Heart Disease: It’s Not Just for Men
  25. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  26. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  27. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  28. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  29. Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Persons: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
  30. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  31. Hot Flashes
  32. Hot Flashes
  33. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  34. How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
  35. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
  36. Know Your Numbers They Could Just Save Your Life
  37. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
  38. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Treating Menopause Symptoms [+ Video: Does the Menopause Happen Suddenly?]
  39. Life’s Essential 8
  40. Listen To Your Heart: Women and Heart Disease
  41. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video]
  42. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  43. Mayo Clinic Minute: What Is Heart Disease? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  44. Mayo Clinic Minute: Signs of Coronary Artery Disease, How To Reduce Your Risk [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  45. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  46. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
  47. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism
  48. Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
  49. Menopause
  50. Menopause
  51. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  52. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
  53. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  54. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  55. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Common Conditions Associated With Menopause and Midlife
  56. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause
  57. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
  58. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  59. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  60. Menopause and Heart Disease
  61. Menopause and Heart Disease
  62. Menopause and Heart Disease: Does HRT Affect Your Risk of Heart and Circulatory Disease?
  63. Menopause and Your Heart
  64. Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
  65. Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition
  66. Menopause: Things You Can Do
  67. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  68. Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
  69. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Cardiovascular Disease
  70. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease: What You Need To Know
  71. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
  72. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  73. Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
  74. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  75. Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  76. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  77. Protect Your Heart
  78. Read My Lips
  79. Rethinking Menopausal Hormone Therapy: For Whom, What, When, and How Long?
  80. Risk Factors: Cardiovascular Risk Factors
  81. The Benefits and Risks of Menopause Hormone Therapy for the Cardiovascular System In Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
  82. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  83. Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
  84. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  85. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  86. Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
  87. Video Series-2023: Menopause and Heart Disease
  88. Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  89. Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  90. Video: Leslie Cho, MD, Discusses CV Risks, Benefits of Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  91. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Cardiovascular Disease In Women
  92. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Heart Disease, Risk Factors of Developing Heart Disease, and Can I Take Hormones?
  93. Webinars: Previous – Cardiovascular Disease
  94. Webinars: Previous – The Early Menopausal Patient
  95. What Is Cardiovascular Disease?
  96. ‘What’s Normal Has Changed’: Navigating Menopausal Hormone Therapy As CVD Risk Grows
  97. Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
  98. Women & CVD
  99. World Menopause Day
  100. World Menopause Day: Patient Information Leaflet – Cardiovascular Disease: What Women Need To Know [Multiply Languages]
    Hormone Therapy and Heart Disease

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Cardiovascular Disease and All Cause Mortality – Key Points. 2022: 780 North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 26 November 2023
  2. Cardiovascular Diseases. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases#tab=tab_1 Accessed: 26 November 2023
  3. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 26 November 2023
  4. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayesena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 26 November 2023
  5. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 26 November 2023
  6. The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Cardiovascular Disease and All Cause Mortality – Key Points. 2022: 780 North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 26 November 2023
  7. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You? The Bottom Line: Hormone Therapy Isn’t All Good or All Bad. 06 December 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/in-depth/hormone-therapy/art-20046372 Accessed: 26 November 2023
Topic Last Updated: 26 January 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 26 November 2023

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
/by