Still confused about estrogen, hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease?

Complex issues: Female hormones increase thromboembolism, deep venous thrombosis--progesteron is blamed, more than estrogen--because at menopause, there is changes in blood coagulation?Increase weight, arteriosclerosis, metabolic syndrome all of this increase risk of cardiovascular disease-- estrogen can be given at low dose for brief periods.

Not good: Based on the randomized controlled trial - women's health initiative - hormone therapy is not protective for cardiovascular disease and my even cause strokes, along with blood clots, etc. Bottom line: not recommended for cardiac prevention. If you are young and early postmenopausal with symptoms and have no cardiac disease, short course (1-2 years) may be ok. Talk to your doctor before starting it.

Start early: From the hers study based on long term study of nurses in the uk, early use of hrt is cardioprotective. If, like the whi study, hrt is started at the average age of 61, there is an increased risk of blood clots, heart attack etc.