Hormone patches or creams for menopause symptoms may have lower blood pressure risk than pills

A new Canadian study suggests that for women using hormone therapy to relieve menopause symptoms, patches or creams may be safer than pills.

As women’s bodies produce lower levels of reproductive hormones during menopause, their risk for heart disease rises.

High blood pressure further increases that risk — but it’s not clear whether there’s a link with hormone therapy.

Researchers at the University of Calgary wondered if the way the hormones are absorbed could play a role.

The team examined health records of more than 112-thousand women who filled prescriptions for at least six months’ worth of treatment.

They tracked which women went on to develop high blood pressure at least a year after starting treatment.

While the differences weren’t huge, women who took estrogen pills had a 14 per cent higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those using skin patches or creams.

The findings were published in the journal Hypertension.

Lauran Neergaard, The Canadian Press

Editorial Policies Report an Error