Hormone replacement therapy use is associated with a lower occurrence of carotid atherosclerotic plaques but not with intima-media thickness progression among postmenopausal women. The vascular aging (EVA) study.

Background: Information on the impact of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on carotid atherosclerosis is limited. Moreover, transdermal estrogens have not been investigated.

Methods: We examined association of HRT use with ultrasonographically assessed carotid atherosclerotic plaque occurrence and mean common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) progression.