Are there alternative treatments for some of the known and suggested benefits of estrogen/progestin treatment?
There are alternative treatments for prevention and treatment of bone loss and cardiovascular disease, and for some of the other suggested benefits particularly of estrogens: • For prevention and treatment of bone loss Ñ • Compounds called bisphosphonates, which decrease the rate of bone loss. These are specifically for prevention and treatment of bone loss. • Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs). This class of compounds also specifically targets bone, but may be useful in reducing the risk of breast cancer. They also reduce the levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol, which have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. • Calcitonin Ñ This agent also is specifically for minimizing bone loss, and usually is given in an intranasal preparation. Just approved is a form of a hormone, called parathyroid hormone. When administered on an intermittent basis, it appears to be very potent in adding additional bone to the skeleton.
