Key points about menopausal hormone use

Menopausal hormone use (sometimes referred to as hormone replacement therapy or postmenopausal hormone use) involves taking either estrogen alone or estrogen in combination with progesterone or progestin, a synthetic hormone with effects similar to those of progesterone (see Question 2).

Estrogen is prescribed to treat some of the problems often associated with menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness, and vaginal dryness. Doctors may also recommend hormones to prevent long-term conditions more common in postmenopausal women, such as osteoporosis (see Question 2).

A recent large clinical trial showed that the health risks associated with estrogen plus progestin use were greater than the benefits (see Questions 4-11).

The overall health effects of estrogen alone in postmenopausal women are less clear. The best evidence will come from a large ongoing clinical trial involving women taking estrogen alone, which is expected to end in 2005 (see Questions 4-11).