Hormone therapy has proven to slow down heart fat increase and the progression of atherosclerosis, the build-up of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls.
In a new study, researchers found not all hormone therapy protects equally against heart disease in older women.
As women progress through the menopause transition, not only are they likely to accumulate more abdominal visceral fat, but fat deposition around the heart also increases.
Heart fat deposition has been linked to atherosclerosis progression, which also increases between peri-menopause and post-menopause.
In the study, the team compared the effects of conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and 17β-estradiol and contrasted oral and transdermal delivery to determine their effectiveness in preventing heart disease.
They tested menopausal women who participated in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) trial.
The team found when compared with transdermal estradiol, oral CEE appears to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis better.
The result shows a distinct effect of hormone therapy on the link between heart fat deposits and atherosclerosis progression, based on the type of estrogen or the route of administration used.
The researchers say that more study is required to confirm whether these results are specific to oral CEE or to the oral route of administration.
The study is published in Menopause.
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