The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #71436

Cynthia Pearson, National Women's Health Network, 514 Tenth Street, NW, Fourth Floor, Washington, DC 20004, 202-347-1140, cpearson@womenshealthnetwork.org

In the year since the early results of the Women's Health Initiative were released, many reactions to the finding that healthy women were more likely to be harmed than helped by long-term use of combined hormone therapy have been highly critical. Physicians and other clinicians have been offered interpretations of the WHI findings that dismiss the results as not applicable to the most likely users of hormone therapy. Claims have been made that WHI participants were too old, too sick, able to unmask the blinding and likely to have used hormones before randomization. What is a reasonable response to this reaction? Are the WHI results applicable to the majority of post-menopausal women? This presentation will review the WHI results for each of the major endpoints, describe the most common criticisms of the WHI conclusions, and will respond to each criticism with relevant data.

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant (learner) in this presentation will be able to:
• Describe the results of the Women's Health Initiative trial of combined hormone therapy for each of the trial's major endpoints.
• List common criticisms of the conclusions drawn by the WHI Trialists.
• Identify responses to each criticism based on data developed though the WHI.

Keywords: Menopause, Evidence Based Practice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: none
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.