Doctors issue new HRT warning

Fresh concerns were raised today over the safety of hormone replacement therapy after it was found to increase the risk of stroke by almost a third.

The warning is the latest in a string of health scares over HRT.

A new review of trials involving over 40,000 women showed that HRT increased the risk of a stroke by 29 per cent.

The treatment has also been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and heart attacks.

The researchers say women at high risk of stroke should consult their GP.

They reviewed trials including a 2002 US study, involving almost 17,000 women over 50, which linked HRT with a 41 per cent greater risk of stroke.

The latest review, published online by the British Medical Journal, links HRT with a particularly sharp increase in the risk of ischaemic stroke, caused by an insufficient blood supply to the brain. Severity also increased with HRT use.

Professor Bath said: "Longer-term use does seem to be a problem."