Prof Zion Ben-Rafael

PRLog (Press Release) - Nov 30, 2008 -
Debate: Should we stop using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prevent cardiovascular disease?

Yes!

Prof. Zion Ben Rafael

     Summary: During the 1990s, with much evidence originating from observational studies, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) became so popular that it was offered to all women, at all ages for prolonged periods, in a non variable regimen. The Randomized control Trials (RCT) that purposely used women with established disease (Secondary prevention) were designed to lend support to this clinical practice, not only failed to show any effect on prevention, but suggested that early harm existed. The Women Health Initiative (WHI) was the turning point. The study which was supposedly designed as a "primary prevention" found ill effects of HRT on coronary heart disease (CHD) but results were less pronounced with the estrogen-only arm of the study. Publication of the study resulted in a drop of 50-60% in the use of HT/HRT. The criticism on the WHI studies that women at a mean age of 63 should not be considered as free of latent atherosclerosis, brought about evaluation of subgroups of women between 50 and 60, or the first 10 years postmenopause. This new analysis found no significant reduction in women starting HT during

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