Credit: CC0 Public domain
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have provided substantial evidence supporting the potential role of statins in mitigating the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with hormone therapy in postmenopausal women, possibly reshaping the risk-benefit considerations for this population.
In an article titled “Statin Use and Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Women Taking Hormonal Therapy,” published in Open JAMA Networkresearchers used a cohort of 223,949 women (mean age 57.5 years) with 20,359 cases and 203,590 matched controls to conduct a nested case-control design analyzing data from an insured claims database commercially in the United States.
Statin treatment has been associated with a reduced risk of VTE in women on hormone therapy, highlighting potential benefits for women with perimenopausal symptoms. Exposure to non-statin hormone therapy increased the risk of VTE by 53%, but when combined with statins, the risk was reduced by 18% compared to those without hormone therapy or statin exposure.
Menopause can cause problematic symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, cognitive changes, vaginal dryness and urinary leakage which can have a significant impact on a woman’s quality of life. Hormone therapy is often used to manage these symptoms. However, there is a downside to hormone therapy because previous studies indicate a high risk of developing blood clots or VTE.
Statin drug treatment has been associated with a reduced risk of major cardiovascular events and VTE. Statin treatment, as well as hormone therapy, has shown promise in some previous studies, although with different dosing guidelines than usual in the United States.
The present study aimed to clarify the association between hormonal therapy, statin use, and VTE risk, particularly in the US population of women aged 50 to 64 years. The results show that statin treatment reduced the risk of VTE associated with hormonal therapy, with high-intensity statins. showing a more significant risk reduction.
The authors concluded that although statin treatment was associated with a reduced risk of exogenous hormone-associated VTE, it did not eliminate the risk, suggesting that more controlled studies are needed.
More information:
John W. Davis et al, Statin use and risk of venous thromboembolism in women taking hormonal therapy, Open JAMA Network (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.48213
© 2023 Science X Network
Quote: Statins reduce the risk of blood clots associated with menopausal hormone therapy (December 21, 2023) retrieved December 21, 2023 from
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from fair use for private study or research purposes, no part may be reproduced without written permission. The content is provided for information only.
