Duration and discontinuation of Hormone Replacement Therapy in women in UK Primary Care

PI Title: Holly Dorning

Lead member: UCL

What is the Problem?
Menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, when her menstrual periods stop permanently, and she can no longer become pregnant.
In the UK, menopause typically occurs around age 51, although this can vary widely. During menopause, levels of the hormone oestrogen decline, leading to symptoms such as:
• Hot flushes/flashes and night sweats
• Mood swings
• Joint pain

These symptoms affect about 80% of women and can last for many years, considerably impacting their quality of life. Lower oestrogen levels can also increase the risk of health issues, including osteoporosis and heart problems.
To manage these symptoms, more than two million women in the UK use hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT replaces the hormones (oestrogen and progestogen) that decrease during menopause. HRT is available in several forms, including tablets, patches, coils and gels. While HRT is generally good at managing these symptoms, it may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer and certain heart-related conditions, such as blood clots and stroke.
Despite its common use, there is limited information on how long women typically remain on HRT. Understanding the duration of HRT is key for exploring the potential risks and benefits of long-term use, as well as helping patients and healthcare professionals in making informed treatment decisions. Current guidelines suggest continuing HRT as long as it effectively manages symptoms.

What is the Aim?
The aim of this study is to describe how long women in the UK stay on HRT and how this duration varies based on individual factors, like age, and different types of HRT.

What Will We Do?
We will analyse information collected by GPs about women’s HRT prescriptions. Specifically, we will calculate:
• The length of time women stay on HRT
• If duration is different for different groups of women and the type of HRT prescribed
• If women change between different types of HRT

What Difference Will This Make?
The findings from this research could help women better understand how long they might expect to be on HRT after starting treatment. This knowledge is vital for deciding whether to start treatment and selecting the most suitable option. We will use these findings to conduct further research on whether long-term use of HRT affects women’s long-term health.