Hormone replacement therapies in women at risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis in South Australia in 1997

Objective: To describe changes in use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in an Australian population and to determine HRT use in women at risk of ca rdiovascular disease and osteoporotic fracture. Design: Data were derived from the 1997 South Australian Health Omnibus Sur vey (a representative population survey) and compared with data from 1991, 1993 and 1995 Omnibus Surveys. Setting: South Australia, 1997. Participants: 1049 women aged 40 years and over from a random selection of 4400 households. Results: Among women aged 55-64 years land thus likely to be postmenopausal ), 60% had used HRT lever use). Nearly two-thirds of these women used it cu rrently. In this age group, mean length of HRT use had increased to 70 mont hs (median, 60 months). Rates of HRT use had not changed significantly betw een 1991 and 1997 in women under 55 years, but had increased significantly in women aged 55 years or over (P less than or equal to 0.01). Among women currently using HRT, 5.4% had used testosterone therapy, while 4% used unre gistered products purported to contain hormones. Rates of ever use of HRT i n women with zero, one, two, or three or more cardiovascular risk factors w ere 33%, 37%, 37%, and 45%, respectively. Among women with a diagnosis of o steoporosis, 52% had used HRT, with a mean length of use of 86 months (medi an, 60 months). Conclusion: HRT use is increasing in older-age groups. Longer-term therapy with potential for primary prevention is now occurring, but half of those w ith osteoporosis and more than half of those with risk factors for cardiova scular disease have not used HRT.