Uit de Cochrane Library: met postmenopauzale hormonale substitutietherapie geen bescherming tegen hart-vaatziekte, wel meer kans op veneuze trombo-embolie

- Observational studies in the early nineteen-nineties have strongly suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has benefits for reducing cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women. A recent Cochrane systematic review assessed the effects of HRT in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women from ten randomized placebo-controlled trials published in the last decade. No protective effect of HRT was seen for any of the cardiovascular outcomes assessed. In contrast, higher risks of venous thromboembolic events, pulmonary embolus and stroke were found in postmenopausal women randomized to HRT compared to a placebo. Initiating HRT in postmenopausal women (with or without cardiovascular disease) for the sole reason of preventing cardiovascular disease should not be recommended. Further, in the case of other risk factors for venous thromboembolic events, the use of HRT for preventive purposes should be discouraged.

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2006;150:546-8