Hormone Therapy for Osteoporosis
Menopausal hormone therapy (previously referred to as hormone replacement therapy or HRT) has been shown to prevent bone loss, increase bone density, and prevent bone fractures. It is useful in preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Estrogen is available orally (Premarin, Estrace, Estratest, and others) or as a skin patch (Estraderm, Vivelle, and others).
Estrogen is also available in combination with progesterone as pills and patches. Progesterone is routinely given along with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer that might result from estrogen use alone. Women who have had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) may take estrogen alone. Nasally delivered estrogen and lower-dose combination pills of estrogen and progesterone are also being studied. However, due to adverse effects of menopausal hormone therapy, such as increased risks of heart attack, stroke, blood clots in the veins, and breast cancer; menopausal hormone therapy is no longer recommended for long-term use in the therapy of osteoporosis. Rather, menopausal hormone therapy is used short-term to relieve menopausal hot flashes.
Male Osteoporosis: Bone Mass Matters
Real men get osteoporosis, too. As many as 2 million American men already have osteoporosis, the bone thinning that makes bones brittle and porous and at likely to fracture. Twelve million men are at risk, and may have early signs of bone loss and low bone density, called osteopenia. But given that four times as many women have osteoporosis, men are less likely to end up with thin bones than women. Why this lower risk? "Women live longer, so they're more likely to get osteoporosis," says Paul...
Read the Male Osteoporosis: Bone Mass Matters article > >
Every woman needs to have an individualized discussion regarding estrogen replacement with her doctor because each woman will have a different balance of risk and benefit expected from hormone therapy. For more, please read the Hormone Therapy article.
WebMD Medical Reference from MedicineNet

