(HealthDay News) — Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patches carry lower cardiovascular risk than oral HRT among women with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, held from Sept. 15 to 19 in Vienna. The researchers found that in cohort 1, compared with HRT users without diabetes, transdermal HRT in women with diabetes was associated with a greater risk for deep vein thrombosis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.90; P = 0.002), ischemic heart disease (HR, 1.77; P < 0.001), and cerebral infarction (HR, 1.89; P < 0.001). In cohort 2, among individuals with diabetes, use of transdermal HRT was associated with only a reduced risk for ischemic heart disease (HR, 0.75; P < 0.001) compared with nonusers. “Our study suggests that up to five years of regulator-approved doses of transdermal HRT appears safe in a large cohort of women in midlife with type 2 diabetes,” Anson said in a statement. “However, given increased risks with oral HRT, we propose that women with type 2 diabetes should not be prescribed oral estrogen therapy.”AbstractMore Information