HRT doesn't protect women from heart disease

Investigators have identified a molecule that counteracts estrogen in the cardiovascular system as well as activating estrogen receptors in breast tissue, promoting the development of tumors. The scientific team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas say that a drug that inhibits 27HC could play a big role in promoting women's health. Their work has helped explain why the Women's Health Initiative astounded many observers several years ago when it revealed that hormone replacement therapy was linked to a higher rate of heart disease. It turns out that 27HC is produced while the body processes cholesterol.

- see the release on the findings
- read the article from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)

ALSO: University of Iowa researchers have discovered a gene that plays a linchpin role in the ability of breast cancer cells to respond to estrogen. The finding may lead to improved therapies for hormone-responsive breast cancers and may explain differences in the effectiveness of current treatments. Release