HRT Takes Another Hit

More bad news for hormone-replacement therapy. The FDA has asked makers of HRT pills (most of which contain the hormones progestin and estrogen) to add another warning to their labels: that HRT may raise the risk of dementia in older women. A watershed 2002 study had already linked the drugs to increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack and stroke, leading experts to conclude that for many women the risks of long-term use outweigh the benefits. The recent FDA directive was based on data published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing that women on Prempro doubled their risk of Alzheimer's.