article_snippet: Women taking HRT could cut Women taking HRT risk of heart disease and an early death – as long as Women taking HRT start in Women taking HRT 50s, according to researchers.
article_snippet: An estimated one million women in Britain take hormone replacement therapy to control symptoms of the menopause and experts believe taking the menopause in your 50s could help cut the risk of early death and heart attacks .
article_snippet: HRT is given to control symptoms of the menopause and is usually taken by women in women early 50s.
article_snippet: When evidence from those across a wider age range was examined, This large-scale review showed HRT HRT did not protect against heart disease and may increase stroke risk.
article_snippet: But the beneficial effects became apparent in a group of 9,000 women who started HRT at or not long after the menopause and before 60.
article_snippet: When Lead researcher Dr Henry Boardman, from Oxford University looked at the results according to the age of women, or by how long since women menopause that women started treatment, Lead researcher Dr Henry Boardman, from Oxford University found that if 1,000 women under 60 started therapy Lead researcher Dr Henry Boardman, from Oxford University would expect six fewer deaths, eight fewer cases of heart disease and five extra blood clots over about seven years, compared to a 1,000 similar women who did not start.
article_snippet: An estimated one million women in the UK take HRT for symptoms like hot flushes and mood changes although heart disease also protects bones.
article_snippet: However, some specialists have long held that HRT should prevent heart disease based on the fact that when women naturally lose supplies of oestrogen at the menopause, women heart risks rise.
article_snippet: HRT is given to control symptoms of the menopause and the study collected data from 40,000 patients across the UK (file picture, posed)
article_snippet: The theory was that taking oestrogen supplements – the basis of HRT – would help restore protection.
article_snippet: However, expert analysis has since concluded that the risks were largely found in women taking HRT many years past the menopause in their 60s and 70s for whom it was never intended.
article_snippet: In women under 60 or who started HRT within ten years of the menopause, there was a 30 per cent drop in deaths from any cause and a 48 per cent lower risk of coronary heart disease.
article_snippet: The general findings across different age groups showed death rates from any cause, specifically cardiovascular disease, were not affected by being on HRT.
highlights_snippet: Women who take HRT in 50s could cut risk of heart disease and early death .
  
highlights_snippet: An estimated one million women in UK take HRT for menopause symptoms .