Can HRT cause high blood pressure?
Hormone replacement therapy is the most common medicine used to treat menopause, replacing hormones that are at lower levels. There are two main types of HRT: oral treatments, such as HRT tablets, and transdermal methods, which include gels, patches and sprays.
Research shows that oral HRT may increase systolic blood pressure. This occurs because oral HRT can raise angiotensinogen levels in the liver, leading to hypertension.
The same effect is not present with transdermal methods, which can often be used safely.