BACKGROUND: Observational studies have shown that postmenopausal hormone therapy may increase, decrease, or have no effect on the risk of stroke. To date, no clinical trial has examined this question. To investigate the relation between estrogen plus progestin therapy and risk of stroke among postmenopausal women, we analyzed data collected from the Heart 95% CI 0.83 to 1.66), fatal stroke (RH 1.61; 95% CI 0.73 to 3.55), or transient ischemic attack (RH 0.90; 95% CI 0.57 to 1.42). Independent predictors of stroke events included increasing age, hypertension, diabetes, current cigarette smoking, and atrial fibrillation. Black women were at increased risk compared with white women, and unexpectedly, body mass index was inversely associated with stroke risk. CONCLUSIONS: Hormone therapy with conjugated equine estrogen and progestin had no significant effect on the risk for stroke among postmenopausal women with coronary disease.
Simon et al. (2001) studied this question.