CLEVELAND, OH (May 29, 2012) — A great deal has been learned in the decade since the first results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) were published on July 9, 2002. The WHI was the largest and longest trial of postmenopausal women using hormone therapy (HT). The 27,000 women were prescribed estrogen-alone therapy, estrogen-progestogen therapy, or a placebo for 5 to 7 years, respectively.
Researchers expected to find that hormones prevented chronic conditions of aging in women, including heart disease. Instead, they found that hormones produced a mix of risks and benefits. The subsequent data from the WHI suggest that the risks of HT vary with a woman's age (safer if started soon after menopause).
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of this landmark trial and its voluminous reporting, the June 2012 issue of Menopause will publish an editorial by JoAnn E. Manson, MD, DrPH, NCMP (NAMS President) and Lubna Pal, MBBS, MRCOG, MSc, NCMP, entitled " The Women's Health Initiative: An Unforgettable Decade ," along with several other timely articles:
These articles will be available on Menopause online on May 31, 2012 at 4:00 PM EST.
Founded in 1989, The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is North America's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the health and quality of life of all women during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause and healthy aging. Its multidisciplinary membership of 2,000 leaders in the field—including clinical and basic science experts from medicine, nursing, sociology, psychology, nutrition, anthropology, epidemiology, pharmacy, and education—makes NAMS uniquely qualified to serve as the definitive resource for health professionals and the public for accurate, unbiased information about menopause and healthy aging. To learn more about NAMS, visit our website: www.menopause.org .
Contact:
Judy Cerne, President & CEO
Laura Lytle, Senior Account Manager
McKinney-Cerne Inc
Phone: 440/352-2081, Fax: 440/352-2087
E-mail: jcerne@mckinneyad.com , llytle@mckinneyad.com
Menopause