Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (Estrogen with or without Progestin)

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The Issue

For many years, women have been prescribed Estrogen with or without Progestin Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to relieve some of the symptoms of menopause. However, recent scientific studies have identified significant risks associated with this therapy.

Background

HRT products have been approved by Health Canada to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and in some cases, to prevent osteoporosis. While there are other forms of hormone replacement available, such as the patch, gel and vaginal ring, HRT is most commonly taken in pill form, of which there are two main types:

• combined (estrogen and progestin)
• estrogen without progestin

Progestin is added for the prevention of uterine cancer in women who have not had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus).

Some earlier studies suggested that the use of HRT products might help to prevent heart disease in post-menopausal women. But the lower incidence of heart disease among these women is now believed to be due to other factors such as diet and lifestyle. The labelling materials approved by Health Canada for HR