Hormone replacement therapy and coronary heart disease - A new debate

Hormone replacement therapy is extensively used in the United States, especially for the possible prevention of heart disease, osteoporotic fractures, and, more recently, dementia. The results of recent clinical trials have raised new questions about the risk and benefits of estrogen or estrogen/progesterone therapy to prevent heart attacks, the choice of specific drug therapy such as specialized estrogen receptor modulation (SERM). The change in risk factors, especially weight gain or obesity, may determine the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy.