Human Hormones

A study that was carried out a few years ago concluded that there was greater risk of serious disease for women who used hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Back in 2002, the Women’s health Initiative carried out work on the effects of combining hormone treatments. It was found that the combined effect of taking two hormones in particular caused serious problems, and possibly very serious implications for the health of those who embarked on a course of treatment.

The two hormones were estrogen and progestin, and it was found that taking these two hormone treatments could lead to a higher chance of developing blood clots, breast cancer and stroke. There was also an indication that taking the combined treatments could lead to a greater chance of a heart attack.

However, a recent study has poured cold water on one of the claims made in the Women’s Health Initiative. It was because the claims were made that many women stopped taking the medications. This meant sales of hormone replacement therapies dropped significantly very quickly.

The study did not find any increased risk for older women who took part. However, the study did find that women in the younger age bracket, those around 51 to 54, were 25% more likely to suffer from a heart attack if they took a course of the combined hormone treatment. This was obviously a direct reason for the drop in sales of the treatments, but it is not clear now that this belief that the treatments cause heart attacks was founded on truth.

The new, more recent study looked at the experiences of 700,000 women. It found that it is worthwhile looking at different methods of taking the drugs, as a way of preventing the risks that the earlier study had found. What the study indicated is that taking the drugs on a cyclic dosing program helps to reduce the risks of heart attack.

This means sticking to a very clear program of administration. The combined effects of good diet and cyclic drug administration will help reduce the risks of heart attack if estrogen and progestin are taken together.
There are also different ways of taking the drugs on a physical level that could improve chances of preventing a heart attack. This means administering the dose at different points in the body can significantly reduce the chances of a heart attack occurring after the event.

The study suggested that using a skin patch to administer does of estrogen and progestin can help. They also say that using a vaginal gel can greatly reduce the risk of greater problems occurring later on.

Whatever the outcomes, health officials are still counselling against over use of the drugs. They say that taking the drugs at the lowest dosage possible should help to reduce all risks that may or may not be involved with the treatments. They also state that it is important that one takes the drugs for the least amount of time.