CAN ANYONE TAKE HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY?
There is a list of relative contraindications to HRT, that is those conditions in which you and your doctor will need to consider the balance between the risks and the benefits:
• Angina, or if you have a family history of heart disease, was previously thought to be an absolute contraindication, but with research now showing that HRT can offer positive protection against heart disease, medical opinion is changing about this. Your doctor will be able to advise you according to your particular condition, and may suggest a non-oral type, such as the patch or implant.
• The risk if you have had deep vein thrombosis depends on how any previous thrombosis occurred. If it first occurred after you had been bedridden for a long time because of illness or a major operation, such as a hip replacement, and especially if it happened long before the menopause, then your doctor may feel it is unlikely to happen again in normal circumstances, so HRT would probably be possible. However, if the thrombosis occurred for no apparent reason, then your doctor would probably want to investigate it, and may then decide against HRT in your case. If the thrombosis occurred while you used the contraceptive pill, he will probably advise against HRT.
• Diabetics can usually take HRT safely, but as it can affect the way carbohydrates are broken down in the body, very careful monitoring would be necessary, and the diabetes would need to be stabilised before a course of HRT was started.
*57\42\4*
