Understanding the benefits and risks of HRT: downloadable visual aids

Clinicians often talk about the relative risks and benefits of HRT – but what do the numbers actually mean?

And what are the benefits of using transdermal oestrogen and body identical progesterone compared with the more old-fashioned HRT formulations (oral oestrogen and synthetic progestogens)?

We have created two visual aids to help you understand the long-term risks and benefits of HRT. These aids can be downloaded and printed and used by clinicians in consultations to inform shared decision making based on the best, currently available evidence.

The aids will be updated as and when new evidence comes to light.

Understanding the major long-term benefits of HRT covers the following topics:

• All-cause mortality
• Coronary heart disease
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Dementia

Understanding the risks of HRT covers the following topics:

• Breast cancer
• Venous thrombosis (blood clots)
• Stroke