Hormone Therapy and Stroke

Hormone Therapy and Stroke

“Hormone therapy might slightly increase
your risk of stroke or blood clots in the legs or lungs
(especially if taken in pill form)”.1

Umbrella

What may the Hormone Therapy and Stroke Umbrella include?

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

  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  • Stroke

Cardiovascular Disease

What is cardiovascular disease (CVD)?

DotS the definition of CVD may vary. In Cardiovascular Heart Disease: What Cardiovascular Disease Is the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) definition is:

“Cardiovascular disease (CVD), also called heart and circulatory disease, is the general name for conditions that affect your heart or circulation. These include high blood pressure, stroke and vascular dementia”.2

Stroke

What is a stroke?

DotS the definition of a stroke may vary. The American Stroke Association’s definition is:

“A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die”.3

Primary Ovarian Insufficiency and Premature or Early Menopause

Is HT recommended for women with primary ovarian insufficiency and premature or early menopause?

On page one in The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement, published 07 July 2022, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) (now the (United States) Menopause Society) explain:

  • “Women with primary ovarian insufficiency and premature or early menopause have higher risks of bone loss, heart disease, and cognitive or affective disorders associated with estrogen deficiency. It is recommended that hormone therapy can be used until at least the mean age of menopause unless there is a contraindication to its use”.4

Risk

What is the risk of stroke associated with HT?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits, published 2025, the Menopause Society explain:


Hormone Therapy and Stroke“As with all medications, HT is associated with some potential risks. For healthy women with bothersome hot flashes aged younger than 60 years or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits of HT generally outweigh the risks. Hormone therapy might slightly increase your risk of stroke or blood clots in the legs or lungs (especially if taken in pill form)”.5

In Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke the European Menopause and Andropause Society note:

  • “MHT may confer a small risk of stroke, more so with oral than with transdermal estrogen”.6

On page seven of Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 4. Why Is MHT Important? What Are the Risks? the International Menopause Society’s (IMS) Leaflet for Women for World Menopause Day 2024, the IMS include:

“While MHT offers many benefits, there are some small risks:

  • Hormone Therapy and StrokeBreast cancer: There is a slight increase in risk, especially with long-term use
  • Blood clots: This risk is higher with certain forms of MHT, like tablets
  • Stroke: Older women or those with certain health conditions may be at higher risk

It’s important to have a personalized discussion with your healthcare professional to understand how these risks apply to you”.7

Chronic Disease

Is HT recommended for the prevention of stroke?

On page four 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:

  • “HRT should not be recommended for the primary or secondary prevention of chronic disease in women experiencing the menopause in keeping with national and international guidelines”.8

Health Care Provider

If I choose to use HT what is my risk of stroke?

Different women who choose to use HT can have different risks of stroke. It may therefore be in your best interest to also choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

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 another of the recommendations is:

  • “The decision whether to take HRT, the dose and duration of its use should be made on an individualised basis after discussing the benefits and risks with each patient. This should be considered in the context of the overall benefits obtained from using HRT including symptom control and improving quality of life as well as considering the bone and cardiovascular benefits associated with HRT use”.9

Health Topics A-Z

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

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

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New or Updated

  1. 7 Things You Can Do To Prevent A Stroke
  2. About Stroke
  3. BMS TV: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
  4. BMS TV: Menopause Explained
  5. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  6. Blood Clots
  7. Cardiovascular Diseases
  8. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  9. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  10. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  11. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  12. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  13. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Impact of Estrogen Deficiency on Quality of Life In Asia and the Role of Continuous Combined MHT In Treatment (EN)
  14. Family History
  15. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  16. Find A Practitioner [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  17. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  18. Guidance on Menopausal Hormone Therapy [Video]
  19. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  20. HRT: Benefits and Risks
  21. HRT Questions Answered
  22. Handling Hot Flushes and Night Sweats| Dr Louise Newson
  23. Healthy Lifestyle
  24. Heart Disease and Stroke In Women
  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 Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  29. Hot Flashes
  30. Hot Flashes
  31. How To Manage Menopausal Symptoms
  32. Hypertension
  33. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – After the Menopause [Other Languages and Formats]
  34. Life’s Essential 8
  35. Managing Menopause Symptoms [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  36. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video]
  37. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  38. Mayo Clinic Minute: What Women Need To Know About Stroke [+ Video]
  39. Mayo Clinic Q and A: 21st Century Stroke Prevention Strategies
  40. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  41. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism
  42. Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
  43. Menopause
  44. Menopause
  45. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  46. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  47. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
  48. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  49. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  50. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  51. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  52. Menopause and Heart Disease
  53. Menopause and Women’s Health
  54. Menopause and Your Health
  55. Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
  56. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
    Hormone Therapy and Stroke
  57. Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
  58. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
  59. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  60. Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
  61. Natural Therapies
  62. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  63. Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  64. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  65. Perimenopause
  66. Postmenopause
  67. Practical HRT Tips | Dr Louise Newson
  68. Preventing Cardiovascular Disease
  69. Q&A: Health Changes During Menopause Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Risk
  70. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  71. Staying Healthy During and After Menopause
  72. Stroke
  73. Stroke
  74. Stroke
  75. Stroke
  76. Stroke.org [American Stroke Association]
  77. The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
  78. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
  79. Types of Hormone Therapy
  80. Video: Leslie Cho, MD, Discusses CV Risks, Benefits of Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  81. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  82. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Heart Disease, Risk Factors of Developing Heart Disease, and Can I Take Hormones?
  83. Webinars: Previous – Hormones and Stroke: An Update on Treatment and Risk
  84. Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  85. Webinars: Previous – Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  86. Webinars: Previous – Recommendations on Cardiovascular Risk Assessment
  87. What Is Cardiovascular Disease?
  88. Women & CVD
  89. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  90. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  91. World Stroke Day [29 October]

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement. 07 July 2022. North American Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf Accessed: 15 August 2025
  2. Cardiovascular Heart Disease. Published: 01 December 2024. British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiovascular-heart-disease Accessed: 15 August 2025
  3. About Stroke. American Stroke Association https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke Accessed: 15 August 2025
  4. The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement. 07 July 2022. North American Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf Accessed: 15 August 2025
  5. Deciding About Hormone Therapy: Potential Risks. 2025:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/default-document-library/MenoNote-Deciding-About-HT-2025.pdf Accessed: 15 August 2025
  6. Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke. 2022. European Menopause and Andropause Society
    https://emas-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Menopausal-hormone-therapy-heart-disease-and-stroke.pdf Accessed: 15 August 2025
  7. Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 2. Why Is MHT Important? What Are the Risks? 2024:7. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 15 August 2025
  8. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, 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 Online 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 15 August 2025
  9. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, 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 Online 10 June 2022:2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 15 August 2025
Topic Last Updated: 15 August 2025 – Topic Last Reviewed: 15 August 2025

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