A large Danish cohort study with 4098 deaths during a median follow-up of 17.6 years examined the pattern of mortality after menopausal hormone therapy.[1] Hormonal use at menopause was not associated with increased overall mortality in middle-aged women.[1] After adjusting for lifestyle, hormones had no effect on all-cause mortality regardless of route of administration.[1] In female users, the lower mortality from cardiovascular diseases was evident only after 5 years (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.32-0.92), but then disappeared.[1] Lower mortality for colorectal cancer (HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.46-0.89) and higher for breast cancer (HR 1.34; 95% CI 1.05-1.72) were only shown after 15 years of follow-up.[1] No significant associations were found with mortality from other types of cancer or from stroke.[1] The study emphasizes the importance of considering individual risks and duration of treatment when deciding on hormone therapy.[1]