THE WOMENS HEALTH AGENDA - EVOLUTION OF HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY AS TREATMENT AND PROPHYLAXIS FOR CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE

The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the resear ch literature on the connection between hormone replacement therapy an d development of coronary artery disease as it pertains to women. It i s clear that research in this century regarding heart disease in gener al has been gender-biased or inappropriately gender-neutral. Research initially focused on how the developing knowledge of the protective ef fect of female hormones could be used to benefit men. It has only been in the last decade or so that gender-based research has been apprecia ted, acknowledged, facilitated, and finally accepted for its contribut ions to advancing knowledge and for benefiting women with coronary art ery disease.