Posted on 09/16/2024 8:35:48 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Recent studies show that women can experience bothersome menopause symptoms, like hot flashes, for longer than originally estimated. As a result, more research is focusing on the long-term effects of hormone therapy. A new study suggests certain estrogen-based hormone therapies have favorable long-term effects on the risk of heart disease.
Hormone therapy has been the subject of intense debate for more than 20 years since the results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) became public. Despite the fact that hormone therapy has proven to be the most effective treatment for managing some of the more common symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, some still have concerns about potential health risks, especially after extended use.
A new study based on data from the WHI suggests that, with regard to heart health, extended use of certain hormone therapies might actually be beneficial. The study specifically evaluated women who were taking conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) alone—the most commonly prescribed oral estrogen treatment—and CEE plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA).
Both CEE-alone and CEE plus MPA were shown to have a favorable influence on all cardiovascular biomarkers, except for triglycerides. In particular, relative to placebo, HDL-C increased by 13% and 7% for participants randomized to CEE-alone and CEE plus MPA, respectively.
The reduction of LDL-C was around 11% for both types of therapy. Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) decreased by 14% and 8% for CEE-alone and CEE plus MPA, respectively. Lipoprotein(a), sometimes referred to as the heart's quiet killer, decreased by 15% and 20% for CEE-alone and CEE plus MPA, respectively.
"Although we see a few more favorable effects with CEE, both therapies performed well in relation to their impact on biomarkers except for triglycerides," says Dr. Matthew Nudy.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
My approach to menopause was to grin and bear it.
About 25 years later, I’m (so far) doing fine.
Leaves me wondering if similar results would result from taking estradiol and progesterone...
Estradiol is generally a lower cost choice than conjugated estrogens..
Horse pee pills (conjugated estrogens) always struck me as unpleasant :-/
“My approach to menopause was to grin and bear it.”
I consider myself to be very lucky as I didn’t really notice anything out of the ordinary — except the one obvious tell-tale sign and that was a good thing. Once I thought I might’ve had a hot flash, but it was summer in Hawaii, so maybe I was just hot. About 30 years later, I’m (so far) doing fine.
One thing we know that isn’t good for the heart is the not-vaccine clot shot. I don’t think I’d be attending a funeral on Saturday if not for that damn shot.
Menopause nearly killed me...bio-identical compounded hormone creams saved me...
I had a few months of throwing the covers off at night, then freezing and throwing them back on.
It wasn’t so bad for me, but I was glad when it was over.
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