Women with Hot Flashes at Extreme Risk of Heart Attack if Using HRT

A new study published in the journal Menopause shows that older women with significant hot flashes¹ who take horse urine estrogen and synthetic progesterone Steroid hormone produced in ovaries and adrenal glands that is involved with female menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and embyro development. increase their risk of a heart attack a whopping 900% in the first year, compared to placebo and to women taking these hormones who do not have hot flashes. 

The data in this study came from the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens plus 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate in 2,763 postmenopausal women existing cardiovascular problems.  The average age of the participant was 66 years old.  In other words, if a woman is a little bit older and already has some signs of cardiovascular stress, and is she gores on hormones to try and stop bothersome hot flashes, she is at extreme risk for a heart attack from the drugs.

There are better ways to manage hot flashes than to make existing health problems deadly.