Hormone therapy in postmenopausal women associated with risk of stroke and venous thromboembolism: a population-based cohort study in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the risks and benefits of hormone therapy (HT) in postmenopausal women in Taiwan. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, a population-based healthcare claims dataset. Eligible women, aged 40 to 65, were matched 1:1 by age and menopause year to avoid confounding through imbalanced baseline characteristics among the two groups (2,491 pairs). The primary outcomes were acute coronary syndrome (ACS), venous thromboembolism (VTE), and ischemic stroke (IS). RESULTS: Mean follow-up in the HT group was 30 months. Mean age of the HT group was 50 years. After adjusting for age, statin and anticoagulant use, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) for the HT group were increased: ACS, 3.73 (2.01-6.91); IS, 3.51 (2.41-5.11); and VTE, 2.51 (1.15-5.47). CONCLUSIONS: In postmenopausal Taiwanese women, HT may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Although the women in our population receiving HT were near menopausal age, their risk of cardiovascular disease was still higher than in the non-HT group.