Opinion survey towards hormone replacement therapy in the prevention of coronary heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Observational and experimental data underscore the cardioprotective effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). On the other hand, the randomised trial available, the 'Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS)', showed no reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), using HRT.


OBJECTIVE
Opinion survey on the effect of HRT on CHD risk.


METHODS
Identification of articles on the related topic using a Medline search. Written survey of the authors' opinion towards HRT in relation to CHD.


RESULTS
Thirty-seven of the 108 principal authors responded. Among them, respectively, 16 (43%) and seven (19%) found that HRT has favourable effects on primary and secondary prevention, two (5%) and five (14%) that it had no effect, none (0%) and four ( 11%) that it had an unfavourable effect, seven (19%) and nine (25%) that it had both favourable and unfavourable effects, and nine (25%) and ten (27%), thought that there are not enough data. Considering a risk modification superior to 20% as clinically relevant, then 57% thought that HRT has a beneficial effect of on primary prevention and 30% on secondary prevention, while none of the responders considered that HRT has unfavourable effects on primary prevention and only 2% on secondary prevention of CHD.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the negative results of the HERS study, about one-half of the responders still think that HRT has a beneficial effect on primary prevention of CHD and almost one-third on secondary prevention.
Rozenberg
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S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Free Universities of Brussels (ULB), St Peter Hospital, rue Haute 322, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. serge.rozenberg@skynet.be
Fellemans
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C
Ham
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H
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001319:Authorship; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires