How to limit the risks

Talk with your doctor about ways you might be able to lower menopause hormone therapy risks:

• Try a form of hormone therapy that has limited whole-body (systemic) effects. Estrogen and progestin are available in many forms, including pills, skin patches, gels, vaginal creams, and slow-releasing suppositories or rings that you place in your vagina.

  Low-dose vaginal preparations of estrogen — which come in cream, tablet or ring form — can effectively treat vaginal symptoms while minimizing absorption into the body. Hormones delivered through skin patches aren't as extensively metabolized in the body as the hormones in pills and have less potential for unwanted side effects.

• Take the amount of medication that's right for you. The type of hormone therapy, how it's administered and how long you should take it to best help with symptom relief varies from person to person. Talk with your doctor about your treatment goals and health risks to choose a hormone therapy regimen that best suits your individual needs.
• Make healthy lifestyle choices. Counter the risks of developing heart disease by making heart-healthy lifestyle choices. Don't smoke or use tobacco products. Get regular physical activity. Eat a healthy diet focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat protein. Maintain a healthy weight. And get regular health screenings to check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels to detect early signs of heart disease.
• Seek regular follow-up care. See your doctor regularly to ensure that the benefits of hormone therapy continue to outweigh the risks, and for cancer screenings such as mammograms and pelvic exams.