Hormone therapy for postmenopausal women at risk for dementia may help maintain brain function, but only certain kinds of hormones have shown this effect.

To treat severe hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, women may receive hormone replacement therapy. Some approaches, however, may pose lower heart risks than others.

Two recently published studies in Britain indicate a possible increase in blood clots from taking birth control pills containing drospirenone. Because of these recent studies, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a drug safety review.