The American Heart Association has reversed its previous guidelines and now advises women with cardiovascular disease against using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to try to prevent heart attacks or strokes. It was convinced by a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (July 2001 pp 1-9) which showed that HRT could actually cause heart attacks and strokes.

Given that both heart attacks and strokes are linked to narrowing of the arteries, blood clots and high blood pressure, and that oestrogen and synthetic progesterone have always carried warnings concerning blood clots, strokes and high blood pressure, the finding should come as little surprise.