Risk and benefits of menopausal hormonal therapy


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Abstract

The safety of menopausal hormone replacement therapy (MHT) has long been of great interest to a wide range of medical professionals. Currently, there is an abundance of research evidence for the benefits and harms of MHT. Still, it is often the subject of misrepresentation and wrong generalizations regarding risks that continue to form a distorted perception of MHT. Often there is a tendency to overestimate the harms, causing unnecessary and unwarranted concern among doctors and patients. This review provides an analysis of available research evidence for the association between MHT and the risk of developing venous thromboembolism and breast cancer. The issues of managing cardiometabolic risk in postmenopausal women, tailoring treatment for individual patients, and the duration of MHT are also covered. A complete analysis of harm-benefit tradeoffs of MHT tailored for a particular woman should include an assessment of vasomotor symptoms and quality of life, potential beneficial effects of MHT on overall health, including cardiovascular and bone health, prevention of osteoporotic fractures, cognitive impairment, etc.

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About the authors

Vera E. Balan

Moscow Regional Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Minzdrav of Russia

Email: balanmed@gmail.com

Elena N. Andreeva

National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology of Minzdrav of Russia

Email: endogin@mail.ru

Svetlana V. Yureneva

V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology of Minzdrav of Russia

Email: syureneva@gmail.com

Olga N. Tkacheva

N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of Minzdrav of Russia, Russian Clinical and Research Center of Gerontology

Evgeny A. Ilyukhin

Medical centers Reaclinic

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