New research indicates that oral hormone replacement more than doubles a woman’s risk of blood clots compared with the skin patch delivery method.
It is already known that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can increase the risk of blood clots in the vein. But this is the first study to directly compare the two delivery methods. Researchers found women taking the drug orally were two to three times more likely to develop a blood clot compared to skin patches, and the risk was significantly higher during the first year of treatment.
The team said the increased risk may come from estrogen going through the digestive system and so affecting the liver, potentially causing a clot. With patches, the hormone is absorbed directly into the blood system.
This study comes a few days after the International Menopause Society, a panel of experts, said women should not be discouraged to use HRT by over-hyped fears about its health risks.
The panel said that for women aged 50 to 59, HRT was a safe and effective method of alleviating symptoms such as hot flashes and maintaining healthy bones. It said this treatment did not raise the risk of heart disease, had a minimal impact on cancer risk, and should be prescribed more freely.
