Guest Lynne Clemens Posted July 9, 2002 Report Share Posted July 9, 2002 From WebMD: Stop Taking Prempro, Doctors Warn Estrogen/Progestin HRT Linked to Breast Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke By Daniel DeNoon July 9, 2002 -- Women should stop taking a popular form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), doctors warn. The warning applies to Prempro as well as to other oral, high-dose combinations of estrogen and progestin. A huge clinical trial of Prempro -- the Women's Health Initiative -- came to a screeching halt on May 31. Plans to continue the trial until 2005 have been scrapped. Five-year data show that Prempro increases a woman's risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The trial predicts that one in 100 women will have a bad outcome from long-term Prempro use. These risks are small, but they outweigh the drug's benefits of reduced hip fracture and colon-cancer risk. The study results and an accompanying editorial were released early and will appear in the July 17 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association. The editorial advises doctors to stop prescribing combination estrogen/progestin HRT. "The whole purpose of healthy women taking long-term estrogen/progestin therapy is to preserve health and prevent disease," write Harvard cancer researchers Suzanne W. Fletcher, MD, and Graham A. Colditz, MD, DrPH. "The results of this study provide strong evidence that the opposite is happening for important aspects of women's health, even if the absolute risk is low. Given these results, we recommend that [doctors] stop prescribing this combination for long-term use." Robert Bonow, MD, president of the American Heart Association, agrees with this opinion. "The American Heart Association advises that women do not start or continue combined HRT for the prevention of coronary heart disease," Bonow says in a news release. Many women take HRT to relieve the symptoms of menopause. Might short-term treatment bypass the risks? The study wasn't designed to answer this question -- but it offers some relevant information. Study co-author Ross Prentice, PhD, is director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Public Health Sciences Division, Seattle. "We did see evidence of increased risk of coronary heart disease quite early," Prentice tells WebMD. "If Prempro is used for the relief of menopausal symptoms, the time period should be as short as possible. Or a lower dose may be appropriate for some women." Another part of the Women's Health Initiative continues. This study looks at the use of oral estrogen alone -- Premarin, the second most commonly prescribed medicine in the U.S. Because estrogen alone increases a woman's risk of uterus cancer, the long-term Premarin study enrolls only women who have had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). Prentice says that women in this trial are being sent letters assuring them that, so far, there is no significant evidence of an increased risk of breast cancer with Premarin. The authors of the study note that the findings may not apply to other HRTs. Low-dose estrogen/progestin combinations may be safer, although further study is needed. Transdermal HRTs use a patch to slowly release hormones into the skin. These may also be safer. Prempro uses progestin, which is a man-made hormone. The patches use progesterone, the natural hormone. And the patches slowly let hormones seep into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system and the liver. This is more like the body's normal way of releasing hormones. Again, more study is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terry jackon1 Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 It's all over the newspapers. I've always known there were pros and cons with taking HRT. I always thought it could contribute to breast cancer for some people. It's still each person's decision. It helped me alot with some pretty serious symptoms that occurred from menopause. But I guess like alot of drugs, then there are the side effects. There is no miracle drug that will keep us from aging. hehe.gif :B: :con: hehe.gif :con: :wow: :eh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 Just read about this in our newpaper. Dr. Jacques Rossouw, acting director of NIH's WHI, which sponsered the study says that for osteoporosis, in some women there may be a place. But since risk outweighs benefits I'm going to ask my doctor about this. I've taken PremPro for four years. If I don't need it, I don't want it. Besides which, there are drugs specifically designed for osteoporosis. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 And to think...the last time I asked about how long I'd have to take PremPro...my doctor told me forever. I don't think so! :t: Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lynn in Va Posted July 11, 2002 Report Share Posted July 11, 2002 :con: UNBELEIVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SuziQ, You just don't know what to do anymore. My mom has been on this for years too. My mom is 57 and has bone cancer, emphyzema,lymphoma-non hodgekins and arthritis to top it all off. Her arthritis is pretty bad too. She's very confused, mad and concerned now. She didn't need this on top of everything. She's always told me that "you never know about medicines." She stopped it of course. She will call her doc and see what happens next. I've always been worried about HGH-human growth hormone. I've been on that about 10 months now. I'm awaiting the day they come back and say STOP! I hope not. This stuff is supposed to be good stuff and help me in many ways. I was always a healthy person growing up. Never needed any medications and didn't have to worry about what was good or bad. Cushing's came around and I worry about everything. Family, finances, health and medications. It's crazy. Cushing's is crazy. Friends back in the day, used to take speed pills. I didn't. Wasn't a goody two shoes, but never did drugs. They always seemed to enjoy the effects from it. Wonder what it would do for me. Wonder if it would pick me up and move me right along. I need something like that. hehe.gif I wouldn't. But I need energy. I guess the hormone did something for me. I really cannot tell. It just better not turn out to be a bad thing. Good luck to all taking Prempro :t: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 11, 2002 Report Share Posted July 11, 2002 Emergency Chatcolor> Thursday, July 11 9 PM (ET), 6 PM (PT) In Power Surge Live! PETE HUESEMAN, R.Ph., P.D.Answers Your Questions About The Current HRT Controversy color> Pharmacist for over 27 years and Power Surge Pharmaceutical Consultant for seven years. Pete has worked exclusively with natural plant derived bio-identical hormones, aka naturally compounded hormones. Pete is with Bellevue Pharmacy and will answer all your questions regarding the LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY CONTROVERSY. We will discuss menopause and naturally compounded hormones, such as such as progesterone, estradiol, estriol, estrone, tri-estrogen, bi-estrogen, DHEA, testosterone and pregnenolone. You can also visit the Ask The Pharmacist. area. Read the transcript of Pete Hueseman's Last Chat Sign up to receive weekly announcements of special guest chats and scheduled events, plus a bi-monthly newsletter on menopause and women's health issues and other information of interest to women at midlife. I look forward to seeing you for this special chat, Thursday, July 11 at 9 PM, EST in Power Surge Live! Dearest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 2000 Posts Kristy Posted July 11, 2002 Over 2000 Posts Report Share Posted July 11, 2002 Here is the link to the The National Institutes of Health The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE There are more in-depth details on this website: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/ :con: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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