Hormone replacement therapy and risk of nonfatal acute myocardial infarction in Italy

Background: Observational studies, but not clinical trials, found lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) users. We analyzed the relation between HRT use and the risk of nonfatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Italy. Methods: We used a combined dataset from three hospital-based case-control studies including a total of 479 women aged (greater-than or equal to)45 years with a first episode of nonfatal AMI and 822 hospital controls. Results: Compared to never-HRT users, the multivariate odds ratio in ever users was 1.4 (95% confidence interval, 0.9-2.2); no consistent pattern of risk was observed according to duration or time since last use. Conclusions: HRT use was not associated with nonfatal AMI in Italian women according to the findings of clinical trials. (copyright) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.