Reassuring news for the younger menopausal set

Investigators did a final sort through data from this trial that made headline news 4 years ago. They looked at risks of heart disease in younger women (ages 50-59) randomized to Premarin only or placebo. Women in this part of the WHI had undergone hysterectomies prior to entering the study so no progestogens were needed.

Women in this age group ordinarily do not have heart attacks no matter what they do, so the numbers of affected participants were small. Nevertheless, those in the treatment group were 40% less likely to have a heart attack or die from coronary heart disease compared with the group on no estrogen at all.

While experts still agree that HRT should NOT be used for heart attack prevention, these results are reassuring to women who choose to use estrogen for symptom control as they enter menopause.

Fuhgeddaboutit. There isn't one for us aging ladies.

Check out Dr. Stefanick's comments below, then look for information on Evista and the RUTH (Raloxifene Use for The Heart) trial in the upcoming edition of Vintagefemail.

For now, there is no magic bullet that can reduce the risks of major health problems related to estrogens and aging without introducing other potentially serious health concerns.
--Marcia Stefanick, PhD

Why another Blog?

I just picked up the "Overview of Satellite Symposia Presented at the 16th Annual Meeting of The North American Menopause Society." Just a little light summer reading in this appropriately hyper-heated Denver July. For those of you who did not receive your copy in the mail, I plan to post important information from these NAMS experts as well as from other researchers at the forefront of menopausal menopause.

Don't forget to also check out Denver Doc Online for more general up-to-date health information from the cutting edge and lunatic fringe of medical research.