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HRT and vitamins C and E do not improve coronary disease in women

M Nawal Lutfiyya1, Eric Henley

  • 1Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois-Chicago, USA. lutfiyya@uic.edu

The Journal of Family Practice
|February 15, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and antioxidant vitamins E and C offer no cardiovascular benefits for postmenopausal women with heart disease. These treatments may even pose health risks, so they should not be prescribed for heart health in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Endocrinology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Investigated the cardiovascular effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and antioxidant vitamin supplements (vitamins E and C) in postmenopausal women with established coronary heart disease (CHD).
  • Assessed the efficacy and safety of these interventions for preventing cardiovascular events in a high-risk population.

Discussion:

  • Neither HRT nor antioxidant vitamin supplementation demonstrated any cardiovascular benefit in postmenopausal women with existing coronary heart disease.
  • Both interventions were associated with a potential for adverse effects, indicating a possible risk of harm.

Key Insights:

  • Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not recommended for cardiovascular risk reduction in postmenopausal women with coronary heart disease.
  • Antioxidant vitamin supplements (vitamins E and C) do not confer cardiovascular protection in this patient group and carry potential risks.

Outlook:

  • Clinical guidelines should reflect these findings, discouraging the use of HRT and antioxidant vitamins for cardiovascular protection in postmenopausal women with CHD.
  • Further research may explore alternative or refined therapeutic strategies for managing cardiovascular risk in this demographic, focusing on proven interventions.

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