One of the most important and controversal questions regarding hormone therapy (HT) for postmenopausal women is “ Does Hormone Therapy reduce or increase risk for heart disease?” An important study is underway that may help answer this question. The Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study- KEEPS is designed to address whether or not risk depends on the age of the woman when beginning HT. It will also seek to answer whether patches are any safer than pills. Observational studies have long suggested that HT can offer protection against heart disease in some women. In 2002 another very large and important study- (WHI) Women’s Health Initiative not only failed to show protection but was stopped when participants showed increased incidents of heart attack and stroke. The average age of women in WHI was 63 and 12 years past menopause with 20% over the age of 70. KEEPS will attempt to address whether it was the older age of the WHI participants that made the difference by studying a younger group of women who more recently entered menopause. The age range for KEEPS participants is 42-58 and 6 -36 months from onset of menopause. KEEPS will also use different types of hormones than were used in WHI including bio-identical formulas. Women and those of us who advise them are anxious to see if KEEPS can offer guidance when making decisions about HT. Keep a watch out for results from this study as it comes out in the media. The only way we can know the truth about what is safe and effective is through studies like this. If you want to know more about this study, go to their web site www.keepstudy.org
The importance of heart disease prevention for women can hardly be overemphasized. Coronary heart disease is the single greatest killer of American women, extinguishing more lives (approximately one death per minute) than the next seven leading causes of female mortality. In other words heart disease accounts for 45% of deaths in women. Compare this to breast cancer which causes 4% of deaths in women or all cancers which accounts for about 21%. This is in sharp contrast to the perceptions of most women who see cancer, particularly breast cancer as the biggest threat. Women should be aware that far more is known about risk factors for heart disease than for cancer and in general, heart disease risk factors are more susceptible to interventions.
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