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HRT and the risk of deep vein thrombosis
Author(s) -
Barlow D.H.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/s0020-7292(97)90196-x
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , hormone replacement therapy (female to male) , venous thromboembolism , deep vein , thrombosis , hormone replacement , venous thrombosis , risk assessment , intensive care medicine , absolute risk reduction , gynecology , surgery , hormone , population , environmental health , computer security , computer science , testosterone (patch)
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) has long been recognized as a risk of oral contraceptive use in women, but until recently hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was not thought to be associated with a similar risk; the epidemiological literature having been reassuring. The recent publication of four independent epidemiological studies has changed our perspective on VTE risk on HRT. These studies suggest that the risk of VTE may be increased by up to three‐fold during HRT. However, the absolute risk remains low at approximately one occurrence in 5000 woman‐years and appears greatest in the early years of HRT use. However, given that mortality from VTE is low, it seems unlikely that these new findings will substantially change the overall balance of benefits and risks associated with long‐term HRT.