Hormone Therapy Shows No Added Heart Risk in Study
In a large Israeli study, women using menopause hormone therapy had heart event rates similar to those not taking it.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Women’s Health
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A large Israeli study following more than 52,000 women found that menopause hormone therapy did not increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Findings were presented ahead of a November 2026 American Heart Association meeting and are preliminary until peer-reviewed publication, which matters for women weighing treatment options worldwide.
Why it matters
Concern about heart effects is a common reason women decline hormone therapy for menopause symptoms, so evidence from a large, long-term cohort bears directly on that decision. The results were announced on Nov. 2, 2026, and remain preliminary until they appear in a peer-reviewed journal.
The study followed more than 52,000 women in Israel for an average of 12 years, with some tracked up to 23 years, and about half used hormone therapy, usually as patches or pills. Heart events occurred in about 4.4% of users versus 4.6% of non-users, but these findings are preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The players
American Heart Association
A leading U.S.-based nonprofit focused on cardiovascular disease prevention and research, whose annual meeting is where these findings are being presented.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The U.S. federal agency that regulates hormone therapy products and has removed black box warnings from them.
American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists
A professional body of obstetricians and gynecologists that issues clinical guidance on women's reproductive and menopausal health, including hormone therapy timing.
The details
Hormone therapy replaces hormones the body stops producing after menopause, most commonly estrogen with or without progestogen. Researchers compared the health outcomes of women who took it with those who did not, tracking heart events, deaths and blood clots over many years. Blood clot rates were similar in both groups, and overall death rates before age 80 were nearly identical.
Timeline
Nov. 2, 2026: Study results were announced in a news release.
Nov. 6-9, 2026: Findings are scheduled for presentation at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Chicago.
Health Landscape
The FDA's removal of black box warnings from hormone therapy products marked a shift away from earlier heart-risk concerns in women's midlife care. This Israeli cohort adds long-term population evidence to that shift, though it is observational and preliminary.
Women considering treatment for menopause symptoms may find these results relevant when weighing heart-related concerns, and the timing of starting therapy is a key question. Worth discussing with your doctor whether hormone therapy fits your personal health history.
The takeaway
Large, long-term data from this Israeli cohort add reassurance that hormone therapy did not raise heart attack or stroke risk in the study population. Ask your physician about your own cardiovascular risk profile before deciding on treatment.
What happens next
Findings are scheduled for presentation at the American Heart Association annual meeting, Nov. 6-9, 2026, in Chicago, and will be considered preliminary until peer-reviewed publication.
Further reading
Explore more on Women's Health for context on managing menopause care decisions.
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