The editorial, "The Time Has Come to Stop Letting the HERS Tale Wag the Dogma," discusses the widespread impact of generalizations made by the media and medical press in response to the recent AHA guidelines on HRT and cardiovascular disease. Confusion and misinterpretation immediately followed publication of the AHA guidelines, partially because the short summary recommendations that HRT should not be initiated for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, did not adequately detail the limitations and scope of HERS.
The HERS trial showed that women of a mean age of nearly 70 and who had existing cardiovascular disease may not be protected from a cardiovascular event if they were newly initiated on combined estrogen and progestin therapy. Generally, clinicians would not consider prescribing HRT to prevent cardiovascular disease for women similar to those enrolled in HERS. The HERS trail reinforces this standard practice, however, the authors believe that while HRT may not prevent cardiovascular events in women with existing heart disease, it may still protect healthy women from developing heart disease. For firm recommendations, the authors encourage physicians and women to await the results from on-going clinical trails.
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