Certain Forms of Hormone Replacement Therapy Linked to High Blood Pressure

About 4% of U.S. women use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat symptoms of menopause. Now, a new study finds some forms of HRT may increase their risk of high blood pressure. The study included more than 112,000 women, 45 years and older, who used estrogen-only hormone therapy administered by mouth, through the skin, or vaginally.

After one year of treatment, women using oral estrogen were significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure, according to the results. Researchers say estrogen formulation also mattered, with conjugated estrogen (CE), an animal-derived product, showing increased odds of high blood pressure compared to estradiol, a synthetic version.

Overall, using estrogen therapy for a longer period of time or at higher doses was associated with a greater risk of developing high blood pressure. The authors say that while more studies are needed, these results suggest that blood pressure should be monitored closely in women using estrogen-only HRT.