Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Women with existing heart conditions should consider their heart disease risk and visit a doctor for a heart health evaluation when considering estrogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT), according to a University of Michigan study.

The research revealed that women with no existing heart conditions who took HRT experienced negative heart health effects, including inflammation which can be related to heart disease.

The study was prompted by researchers who wanted to know the validity of the so-called six-week timing hypothesis, a theory which came about following the Women’s Health Initiative which linked the use of HRT to an increased risk of heart disease and other serious diseases and conditions. The timing hypothesis suggests that if a woman begins HRT within six years of her final menstrual period, the drugs could keep heart disease from developing at the onset of menopause.

While the six-week window found HRT showed beneficial changes in HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, the risk of heart disease was still a viable threat, according to researchers. Thus, women are encouraged to discuss their options with their doctors in order to make a decision they are comfortable with.

Heart disease risk can be measured with lipid panels and by measuring inflammation markers. These tests typically are not conducted as part of an office visit for women considering hormone replacement therapy.

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