Hormone therapy does not lower the risk of heart disease for women past menopause, but it doesn’t pose a risk and may be helpful in treating hot flashes — including such symptoms in younger women, new research shows.
The conclusions are based on a review of 19 studies, involving more than 40,000 women, by the Cochrane Collaborative — a non-biased research consortium that aims analyzes multiple studies on health issues with the aim of providing more definitive consensus conclusions,
NBC News reports.
"The take-home message is if you want to take hormones, you should be reassured," said Isaac Schiff, M.D., chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Hormone replacement therapy was once standard for women going through menopause to lower risk for heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer, as well as to combat hot flashes. But it has been less common in recent years in the wake of some studies that have raised questions about potential risks.
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