Hormone Replacement Therapy and Fractures in Older Adults

Estrogen deficiency in women is associated with accelerated bone loss, and estrogen replacement therapy has been proven to be effective in preventing osteoporosis and fractures in postmenopausal women. The introduction of selective estrogen receptor modulators that have an estrogen-like effect on the skeleton but have a different pattern of effects on other tissues may have an important role in the management of osteoporosis in women in the near future. In men, androgen deficiency has been shown to be associated with osteoporosis. Although androgen replacement in hypogonadal men may decrease bone resorption and increase bone mass, long-term placebo-controlled trials are needed to better define the benefits and risks of such therapy before it can be recommended. Sex hormone deficiency is linked to the development of osteoporosis in both women and men. In women, hormonal replacement by estrogen or the newly developed selective estrogen receptor modulators may prevent the development of osteoporosis and its related fractures. In men, there is early evidence that testosterone replacement therapy may enhance bone mass in hypogonadal men.