Live long on HRT

vital signs

Women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) appear to live longer than those who have never taken HRT, according to a major six-year study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

The Iowa Women's Health Study, involving 40,000 women, found that those taking hormones after the menopause had a 22 per cent lower mortality rate.

Some doctors have warned that the study should be viewed with caution, since women on HRT are likely to have healthier lifestyles than others.