Hormone Therapy Risks

“The risks of HT differ for different women, depending on type, dose, duration of use, route of administration, timing of initiation, and whether a progestogen is needed”.1

Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy Risks Umbrella include?

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

  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Risks
  • Hormone Therapy (HT) Risks
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) Risks

Date

What can it be important to be clear about with hormone therapy (HT) risks information?

I think it can be important to be clear about the date of all information including the date of HT risks information, because this information may have been updated.

Symptoms or Chronic Conditions

What can it also be important to be clear about with HT risks information?

I think it can also be important to be clear about whether HT risks information is about the use of HT for the management of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness or for the prevention of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis.

Estrogen Plus Progestogen and Estrogen Therapy

Can the risks of HT differ for Estrogen Plus Progestogen (EPT) and Estrogen Therapy (ET)?

Yes.

Uterus or No UterusHormone Therapy Risks

Can the risks of differ for women who have a uterus and women who do not a uterus?

Yes.

Different Differences

What are some other HT risks differences?

On page one in the NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) elaborate on:

  • “The risks of HT differ for different women, depending on type, dose, duration of use, route of administration, timing of initiation, and whether a progestogen is needed. Treatment should be individualized using the best available evidence to maximize benefits and minimize risks, with periodic reevaluation for the benefits and risks of HT continuation”.2

Risk and Benefits

Are HT risks small and usually outweighed by the benefits?

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks the (United Kingdom) NHS (National Health Service) note:

“Many studies on HRT that have been published over the past 15 years highlight the potential risks. As a result, some women and doctors have been reluctant to use HRT.

But more recent evidence says that the risks of HRT are small and are usually outweighed by the benefits”.3

NICE Guidelines

What did the (British) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines note about the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?

In Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT the NICE explain and elaborate on:

“NICE looked at the risks of the following conditions in women taking HRT compared with women of menopausal age in the general population. Your GP should explain that the risks of the conditions described below vary from one woman to another and depend on many risk factors. In cases where HRT is said to increase risk this usually means a very small increase in most women.

  • Blood Clots (Venous Thromboembolism)…
  • Heart Disease and Stroke (Cardiovascular Disease)…
  • Breast Cancer…
  • Type 2 Diabetes…
  • Osteoporosis…
  • Loss of Muscle Strength…
  • Dementia…”.4

Revised Global Consensus Statement

What is one of the points of consensus about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and risk?

One of the points of consensus in the Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section A: Benefit/Risk Profile of MHT – endorsed by seven menopause-related organizations – published online 20 June 2016, is:

  • “MHT, including tibolone and the combination of conjugated equine estrogens and bazedoxifene (CE/BZA), is the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause at any age, but benefits are more likely to outweigh risks if initiated for symptomatic women before the age of 60 years or within 10 years after menopause”.5


What are vasomotor symptoms?

The International Menopause Society explain:

“Hot flushes and night sweats are also referred to as Vasomotor Symptoms (VMS)”.6

Before Age 60

Before age 60, can age and time since menopause matter?

On page one in the NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use the NAMS note:

  • “For women aged younger than 60 years or who are within 10 years of menopause onset and have no contraindications, the benefit-risk ratio appears favorable for treatment of bothersome hot flashes and for those at elevated risk of bone loss or fracture. Longer duration may be more favorable for estrogen-alone therapy than for estrogen-progestogen therapy, based on the Women’s Health Initiative randomized, controlled trials”.7

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks published in June 2017, the NAMS also explain:

“As with all medications, HT is associated with some potential risks. For healthy women aged younger than 60 years with bothersome hot flashes who are 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)”.8

After Age 60

After age 60, can age and time since menopause matter?

On page one in the NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use the NAMS note:

Hormone Therapy Risks

  • “For women who initiate HT more than 10 or 20 years from menopause onset or when aged 60 years or older, the benefit -risk ratio appears less favorable than for younger women because of greater absolute risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, venous thromboembolism, and dementia”.9

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

“If started in women aged older than 65 years, HT might increase the risk of dementia. If you have a uterus and take estrogen with progestogen, there is no increased risk of cancer of the uterus. Hormone therapy (combined estrogen and progestogen) might slightly increase your risk of breast cancer if used for more than 4 to 5 years. Using estrogen alone (for women without a uterus) does not increase breast cancer risk at 7 years but may increase risk if used for a longer time”.10

At Risk

What are some contraindications to taking HT?

In Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Contraindications To Taking MHT the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) elaborate on these and more contraindications:

  • “Current, past or suspected breast cancer/li>
  • Known or suspected oestrogen-dependent cancer, such as breast and uterine cancers/li>
  • Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding/li>
  • Untreated uterine lining thickening, which could develop into cancer/li>
  • Current thrombosis or DVT (deep vein thrombosis), but a past history would require further investigation to establish if MHT is safe
  • Thrombophilia (a group of conditions that lead to an increased risk of thrombosis)…”.11

Do Not Take

Which women should not take HT?

In Menopause: Medicines To Help You the (United States) Food and Drug Administration elaborate on:

“Do not take hormone therapy if you:

  • Have problems with vaginal bleeding
  • Have or have had certain cancers such as breast cancer or uterine cancer
  • Have or have had a blood clot, stroke or heart attack
  • Have a bleeding disorder
  • Have liver disease
  • Have allergic reactions to hormone medicine”.12

Health Care Provider

If I choose to take HT, how may I find out what my risks are?

If you choose to take HT, it may be in your best interest to also choose to ask your health care provider about this.

One of the points of consensus in the Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT is:

Hormone Therapy Risks

  • “The option of MHT is an individual decision in terms of quality of life and health priorities as well as personal risk factors such as age, time since menopause and the risk of VTE, stroke, ischemic heart disease and breast cancer. MHT should not be recommended without a clear indication for its use”.13

What is VTE?

VTE can be an abbreviation for Venous Thromboembolism.

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks the NHS elaborate on:

“When deciding whether to have hormone replacement therapy (HRT), it’s important to understand the risks.

It’s also important to consider HRT as only 1 of a range of options to improve menopausal and postmenopausal health and wellbeing”.14

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Use the NAMS explain:

“Every woman is different—and you must make a decision about whether to use HT based on the severity of your symptoms, your personal and family health history, and your own beliefs about menopause treatments. Your healthcare provider will be able to help you with your decision”.15

In Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Should You Take MHT? the JH include:

  • “Jean Hailes recommends each woman discusses her decision about taking MHT with her doctor regularly and whenever there are any concerns”.16

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Hormone Therapy the (United States) Mayo Clinic note:

“Before deciding on any form of treatment, talk with your doctor about your options and the risks and benefits involved with each. Review your options yearly, as your needs and treatment options may change”.17

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Hormone Therapy Risks?

In Health Topics A-Z may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy Risks?

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.

  1. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  2. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 6. Myth – Complementary Medicines and Therapies Are As Effective As MHT and Safer
  3. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 7. Myth – Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Is Safer Than Conventional MHT
  4. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
  5. Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  6. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  7. Combined Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  8. Complementary Medicine Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  9. Complementary and Alternative Therapies Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  10. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  11. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  12. Decidir Sobre La Hormonoterapia
  13. Early Menopause: Experiences and Perspectives of Women and Health Practitioners – Women’s Profiles
  14. Estrogen & Hormones
  15. Estrogen & Hormones: Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy
  16. Family History
  17. HRT
  18. HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  19. HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  20. HRT: Summary
  21. HRT: The History
  22. Hormone Replacement Therapy
  23. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  24. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  25. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Overview – Risks and Side Effects of HRT
  26. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Overview – Who Can Take HRT
  27. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks
  28. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types
  29. Hormone Replacement Therapy Safe, Despite Rare Blood Clot Risks From Tablets
  30. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  31. Index To Drug-Specific Information [United States]
  32. Information About Menopause [Multiply Languages] [Videos]
  33. MHT and Breast Cancer Risk
  34. Making Choices At Menopause
  35. Making Sense of Menopausal Hormone Therapy Means Understanding the Benefits As Well As the Risks
  36. Menopause
  37. Menopause
  38. Menopause
  39. Menopause
  40. Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms
  41. Menopause Hormone Therapy and Your Heart
  42. Menopause Hormone Therapy and Your Heart: How To Limit the Risks
  43. Menopause Hormone Therapy: Who Shouldn’t Take It?
  44. Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Benefits & Risks of HRT
  45. Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of HRT?
  46. Menopause Matters
  47. Menopause Symptoms and Relief
  48. Menopause Treatment
  49. Menopause – Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT) Safe? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
  50. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
  51. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT [NICE Guideline]
  52. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  53. Menopause: Medicines To Help You
  54. Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
  55. NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use
  56. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  57. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact
  58. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms In Depth
  59. Oestrogen Only Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  60. Practical Prescribing Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  61. Recent Review Confirms Safety of Low Dose Vaginal Estrogen: July 2019
  62. Resequedad Vaginal
  63. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  64. Risks and Benefits of MHT/HRT
  65. Sex and Menopause: Treatment for Symptoms
  66. The North American Menopause Society Statement on Continuing Use of Systemic Hormone Therapy After Age 65
  67. Tipos de Hormonoterapia
  68. Types of Hormone Therapy
  69. Understanding Health Risks: Improve Your Chances for Good Health
  70. Urogenital Atrophy Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  71. Urogenital Problems
  72. Vaginal Dryness
  73. Vaginal Dryness
  74. Vaginal Dryness Alternative Treatments
  75. Venous Thrombosis/Thromboembolism Risk and Menopausal Treatments
  76. Video Series-2018 – Tailoring Estrogen Therapy for Maximum Cardiovascular Health
  77. Video Series-2019 – What Is New In Hormone Therapy?
  78. Video Series-2020 – TSECs—A New Treatment for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  79. Video Series-2020 – What You Need To Know About Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
  80. What Is MHT and Is It Safe? Vietnamese: What Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and Is It Safe?
  81. What Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and Is It Safe?
  82. Women Can Breathe Sigh of Relief When Using Vaginal Estrogen To Treat Menopause Symptoms

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use. 20 June 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ht-press-release-061917.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  2. NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use. 20 June 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ht-press-release-061917.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  3. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS (National Health Service) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/risks/ Accessed: 16 October 2020
  4. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT. Published Date: 12 November 2015. Last Updated: 05 December 2020. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Benefits-and-risks-of-HRT Accessed: 16 October 2020
  5. De Villiers, T. J., Hall, J. E., Pinkerton, J. V., Pérez, S. C., Rees, M., Yang, C. and Pierroz, D. D. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section A: Benefit/Risk Profile of MHT. Climacteric, 2016;19:4:313 https://www.imsociety.org/manage/images/pdf/ba6379e868044bec13015ac2b84f2753.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  6. Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Background Information: What Are Hot Flushes and Night Sweats? October 2011:1. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/downloads/world_menopause_day_2011/wmd_media_backgrounder.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  7. NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use. 20 June 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ht-press-release-061917.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  8. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/for-women/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2017.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  9. NAMS 2017 Position Statement Updates Guidelines for Hormone Therapy Use. 20 June 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ht-press-release-061917.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  10. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/for-women/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2017.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  11. Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): Contraindications To Taking MHT. Last Updated: 30 July 2020 | Last Reviewed: 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 16 October 2020
  12. Menopause: Medicines To Help You. Content Current As of: 22 August 2019. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118627.htm Accessed: 16 October 2020
  13. De Villiers, T. J., Hall, J. E., Pinkerton, J. V., Pérez, S. C., Rees, M., Yang, C. and Pierroz, D. D. Revised Global Consensus Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Section B: General Principles Governing the Use of MHT. Climacteric, 2016;19:4:314 https://www.imsociety.org/manage/images/pdf/ba6379e868044bec13015ac2b84f2753.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  14. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Risks. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS (National Health Service) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/risks/ Accessed: 16 October 2020
  15. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. 2017:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/for-women/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2017.pdf Accessed: 16 October 2020
  16. Menopause Management: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): Should You Take MHT? Last Updated: 30 July 2020 | Last Reviewed: 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 16 October 2020
  17. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Hormone Therapy. 14 October 2020. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 16 October 2020

Topic Last Updated: 16 October 2020 – Topic Last Reviewed: 16 October 2020
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
/by
You might also like
Hormone Therapy and SERMs
Hormone Therapy Videos
Hormone Therapy and Blood Clots
KEEPS
Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy
Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer