Hormone Replacement Therapy – Computer Assisted Individualized Approach

Abstract

The use of hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) has undergone many changes since it was first introduced into clinical practice in the 1940s. At present, the pendulum seems to be swinging back to more acceptance of its use, following a marked reduction in prescriptions after the results of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study were published in the early 2000s [2]. HRT was shown to significantly decrease the incidence of menopausal symptoms, risk of osteoporotic fractures, and improve the overall quality of life. In younger, healthy women (aged 50-60 years), the risk-benefit balance is clearly in favor of using HRT [1-3]. HRT is not risk-free. An increased risk of stroke with HRT has been reported in several studies [4,5].