Transcript: From the 1960s to the late 1990s, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, was the gold standard for treating the hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and other characteristic symptoms of menopause. Not only did HRT appear to alleviate menopausal symptoms, it was also found to help prevent the bone-weakening disease, osteoporosis, a particularly serious problem for post-menopausal women. Further research even suggested that estrogen therapy might lower the risk of heart disease. It was little wonder, therefore, that by 1990, the estrogen replacement drug Premarin, was the most frequently prescribed medication for menopause in the United States. Then, in 2002, a study by a group called the Women’s Health Initiative, threw all the commonly held beliefs about hormone therapy into question. This study measured the long-term effects of estrogen-only hormone therapy, which was the treatment of choice for post-hysterectomy women, and the more commonly used combination therapy of estrogen plus progesterone. Surprisingly, both trials were called to a halt years before completion, because it appeared that the risks of hormone treatment significantly outweighed the benefits. The study found that in the group of 10,000 women taking combination hormone therapy, there were 18 more life-threatening blood clots, 8 breast cancer diagnoses, 7 more strokes, and 6 more heart attacks than in women taking placebos. At the same time, women using estrogen-only therapy did share the increased risk of strokes, but suffered none of the other negative consequences. The Women’s Health Initiative study DID, however, have some positive findings. It showed that women utilizing combination therapy were indeed less likely to develop osteoporosis. They also had lower rates of colon cancer. But because the data were largely negative, an estimated 6 million women using hormones were urged to consult with their doctors, most of whom recommended hormone therapy cessation. Today, although HRT is no longer the mainstay for symptomatic menopause, for some women with severe menopausal symptoms, the benefits outweigh potential risks. For these patients, doctors seriously consider family history as well as personal risk factors, and then prescribe the smallest dose of hormone for the shortest possible time. Women with breast cancer or a history of blood clots, however, are strongly advised not to try HRT for menopausal symptoms. Using HRT is an individual decision for each woman. Many severely affected women are unwilling to forgo its benefits, while those with milder discomfort are reluctant to assume its risks. If YOU have troublesome menopausal symptoms, please discuss hormone replacement with your doctor. Together, consider your family history and personal risk factors, and assess the severity of your symptoms. And remember…there ARE alternative therapies that could be right for you!