Hormone replacement therapy: Expanding treatment options with transdermal delivery

The effects of estrogen deficiency during menopause on vasomotor and urogen ital symptoms and the long-term impact on cardiovascular, cancer, and bone fracture risks have been recognized for decades. Likewise, the benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for symptomatic relief of menopause and f or reducing long-term risks are web documented. Nevertheless, an ongoing pr oblem for health care providers is the low proportion of postmenopausal wom en who initiate HRT and the need for better management strategies to mainta in long-term HRT. Higher HRT initiation rates may be achieved by increasing awareness of the benefits of such therapy. Improvements in the delivery of HRT that will make it more convenient for women should enhance compliance and improve long-term maintenance. Transdermal delivery systems with both e strogen and progestin, particularly a continuous combined regimen, provide clinicians with increased dosing flexibility and offer the potential for br oadening use and expanding long-term maintenance of HRT.