Women going through menopause should be warned about the reality of cardiovascular disease, which kills more women than any other illness in the Western world, the International Menopause Society (IMS) has said.
In a statement following a meeting in Italy this year, the society said women were not given enough information about it, even though research indicates they have a slightly increased risk of developing the disease after they turn 60.
IMS wants women to know that they should not be put off asking doctors about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) because its association with venous thromboembolism is only slight.
According to Peter Collins, professor of clinical cardiology at the UK's National Heart and Lung Institute, HRT actually has a "slightly beneficial effect" on the cardiovascular system if taken between the ages of 50 and 59.
There is "little evidence" for any negative cardiovascular effects in reasonably healthy women who take HRT to relieve menopausal symptoms.
He said: "If you take HRT 10 years after the menopause, it appears to have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, but it is important to note, as the WHI indicated when re-analysing its data, this negative effect is of marginal significance."
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