Using hormones to cope with the symptoms of menopause has been connected with an increased risk of breast cancer and stroke, and a new study indicates that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can also increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. The longer patients used HRT, the more their odds increased, according to the journal PLoS ONE.
The study included 43,405 postmenopausal women and was led by Joanne Lind of the University of Western Sydney. Dr. Lind explained that the study shows that "longer use of menopausal hormone therapy is associated with having high blood pressure. It is therefore important that high blood pressure be conveyed as a health risk for women considering using menopausal hormone therapy."
The results of the study may be taken into account when women are deciding whether, and for how long, menopausal hormone therapy is right for them.