On the contrary, it seems to have a protective effect on this group of women. The drug was designed for the treatment of osteoporosis and works by increasing bone mineral density, since it mimics the effects of estrogen. Studies have shown that it can reduce LDL cholesterol levels and other cardiovascular risk factors, but it has not been studied whether these potential benefits translate into a real reduction in heart risk in women taking the drug.
The authors of the new study examined data from previous research with raloxifene, which aimed to see if it reduced the risk of osteoporotic fractures and breast cancer. That study, which compared the drug to placebo, included 7,705 postmenopausal women.
The results, after four years of treatment, show that raloxifene did not affect the risk of myocardial infarction, unstable angina and stroke, not even during the first year of the study as has been seen with other treatments.
The authors add that in relation to breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, raloxifene not only appears to be a safe drug, but it even appears to exert a protective effect.
