Patient-Specific Decisions in the use of HRT in Post-Menopausal Women
A study was performed that examined the effects of hormone replacement therapy in the life expectancy of postmenopausal women. The women had different pre-existing risks such as heart disease, breast cancer, and hip fracture.
Models were used to link risk factors to disease incidence and to estimate the lifetime risks of developing coronary heart disease (CHD), breast cancer, hip fracture, and endometrial cancer. The impact of hormone therapy on disease incidence was estimated from published epidemiologic studies.
Treatment in women consisted of both HRT and no HRT. This was used to determine an estimated life expectancy while using hormone replacement therapy, and not.
It was found that HRT should increase life expectancy for nearly all postmenopausal women, some gains exceeding 3 years. This was dependant mainly on an individual's risk factors for CHD and breast cancer. For women with at least 1 risk factor for CHD, hormone therapy should extend life expectancy, even for women having immediate relatives with breast cancer. Women without any risk factors for CHD or hip fracture, but who have 2 immediate relatives with breast cancer, however, should not receive hormone therapy.
It was decided that in the conclusion of this study the benefit of HRT in reducing the likelihood of developing CHD appears to outweigh the risk of breast cancer for nearly all women in whom this treatment might be considered. It was then supported that there should be a broader use of
HRT in post-menopausal women to extend life expectancy.
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