Hormone pills during menopause may lead to high blood pressure in women

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Women taking hormone pills to beat hot flashes are more prone to high blood pressure, according to new research.

Estrogen tablets increase risk by 19 and 14 percent compared to vaginal and skin creams, respectively.

Hypertension, the medical term, is known as a "silent killer" as there are no symptoms. It can cut off the blood supply - triggering a heart attack or stroke.

Lead author Cindy Kalenga, a Ph.D. student at Calgary University in Alberta, said: "We know estrogens ingested orally are metabolized through the liver.

"This is associated with an increase in factors that can lead to higher blood pressure."

The findings are based on more than 110,000 over-45s in Canada tracked for more than a decade via health records.

Kalenga said: "We know post-menopausal women have increased risk of high blood pressure when compared to pre-menopausal women.

"Furthermore, previous studies have shown specific types of hormone therapy have been associated with higher rates of heart disease.

"We chose to dive deeper into factors associated with hormone therapy such as the route of administration - oral vs. non-oral - and type of estrogen and how they may affect blood pressure."

Menopause occurs when a woman stops having periods - meaning she is no longer able to get pregnant naturally.

The process - which is triggered by the ovaries producing less estrogen - is a natural part of aging and usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.

Eight in 10 women will experience menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, difficulty sleeping, low mood or anxiety and problems with memory.

HRT (hormonal replacement therapy) is one way of treating them. It restores levels - bringing relief to hundreds of thousands of women each year.

The study in the journal Hypertension found the type used had varying impacts on developing high blood pressure. The strongest associations were in under 70s.

Taking estrogen for a longer period of time or taking a higher dose was linked with a greater risk of high blood pressure.

Results suggest particular forms of estrogen have lower cardiovascular risks for menopausal women on HRT.

Kalenga said: "These may include low-dose, non-oral estrogen — like estradiol, in transdermal or vaginal forms — for the shortest possible time period, based on individual symptoms and the risk–benefit ratio.

"These may also be associated with the lowest risk of hypertension. Of course, this must be balanced with the important benefits of hormone therapy, which include treatment of common menopausal symptoms."

The average age of natural menopause among women worldwide is about 50 years of age.

Current evidence supports that initiating menopausal hormone therapy in the early stages may have cardiovascular benefits, though not in the late stages of menopause, according to the American Heart Association.

Co-author Professor Sofia Ahmed, also from Calgary, said: "Over a quarter of the world's population of women are currently older than the age of 50.

"By 2025, it's estimated there will be one billion menopausal individuals on the planet.

"Approximately 80% of people going through menopause have symptoms, and for some it lasts up to seven years.

"While menopause is a normal part of the aging process, it has huge implications for quality of life, economic impact, work productivity and social relationships.

"We need to give people the information they need to choose the most effective and safe hormonal treatments for menopause."