A recent study published in the peer-reviewed American Heart Association journal “Hypertension” indicated that women over 45 who use oral estrogen hormone therapy instead of transdermal or vaginal versions have a higher chance of developing hypertension. 

According to earlier studies, various hormone therapies may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease among menopausal women under 60 or who have only experienced menopause for a short period of time. The American Heart Association claims that following menopause, a womans body produces less estrogen and progesterone, potentially increasing her risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure.

About 112,000 women aged 45 and older who completed at least two consecutive prescriptions (a six-month cycle) for estrogen-only hormone therapy was included in the study. The data of these participants were taken from health administrative data collected in Alberta, Canada, between 2008 and 2019. Estradiol and conjugated equine estrogen were the most frequently used types of estrogen among research participants. A greater risk of high blood pressure was linked to using estrogen for longer or in higher doses.

Experts suggested that various forms of estrogen are available for menopausal women who undergo hormone therapy and may have fewer cardiovascular risks. Depending on the severity of the symptoms and the risk-benefit ratio, they may include low-dose, non-oral estrogen for the shortest time possible, such as estradiol in transdermal or vaginal forms which might have lowest risk of hypertension. The considerable advantages of hormone therapy, which include the management of typical menopausal symptoms, must, of course, be balanced against this.

The most recent evidence supports the view that hormonal therapy in the initial phase of menopause might have cardiovascular benefits but not in the later stages.

 (Source:https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/higher-blood-pressure-risk-linked-to-oral-estrogen-hormone-use-in-women-study-101685968679513.html)