Incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer and death in postmenopausal women affirming use of hormone replacement therapy.

AIM The goal of this study was to evaluate the incidence of myocardial infarction, cancer and death in relation to use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). METHODS Nine years' follow up of an urban cohort of peri-/postmenopausal women was undertaken. Local and national registers were used for retrieval of events. RESULTS The incidence of myocardial infarction per 1.000 person-years in users and non-users was 0.61 (5/962) and 2.20 (92/4759) respectively, adjusted relative risk (RR) 0.37; 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.90. Rates of mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer were 0.36 and 1.10, p= 0.058, and 2.60 and 2.09, p=0.360 respectively. In terms of all-cause mortality the adjusted RR was 1.02; 0.69-1.52, incidence of cancer 1.28; 1.01-1.64, breast cancer 1.52; 1.01-2.28 and endometrial cancer 3.61; 1.54-8.46. CONCLUSIONS Women affirming use of HRT had a lower incidence of myocardial infarction. Further studies are needed to assess whether the absence of effect on total mortality may be accounted for by an increased cancer risk.

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