What happens when you start HRT

CAMILLA FOSTER looks at the potential benefits of women taking hormone replacement therapy

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HORMONE replacement therapy (HRT) is widely regarded as the most effective way to manage common menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats and new research is adding fresh insight into its potential benefits.

HRT works by replacing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which naturally decline as menopause approaches, according to the NHS website, and researchers in the US recently analysed data from more than 120 million patient records, comparing oestrogen therapy started during perimenopause (the transitional phase before menopause) with treatments given after menopause or not at all.

Their findings suggest that women who began therapy at least 10 years before menopause had around a 60% lower risk of developing breast cancer, heart attack or stroke compared with those who started treatment later or didn’t take hormones.

Here, Dr Elise Dallas, women’s health GP and menopause specialist at The London General Practice, explains the HRT process.

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