The clinical assessment and management of the potential risks and adverse effects associated with the therapeutic administration of exogenous hormones to correct an endocrine deficiency or imbalance. This involves careful patient selection, risk stratification, monitoring of biochemical markers, and selection of appropriate hormone type, dose, and route of administration to minimize the likelihood of complications such as cardiovascular events, venous thromboembolism, or certain malignancies. It is a core tenet of responsible endocrinology practice.
Origin
The systematic evaluation of hormone replacement safety gained significant urgency and focus following the publication of large-scale clinical trials, such as the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), which highlighted specific risks associated with certain hormone formulations and regimens. The term reflects the evolution of clinical practice from broad application to a highly individualized, evidence-based approach to hormonal intervention. Modern protocols emphasize personalized risk-benefit analysis.
Mechanism
Safety is mechanistically managed by several clinical strategies designed to mitigate known risks. Utilizing bioidentical or body-identical hormones and employing non-oral routes of administration, such as transdermal patches or gels, can bypass hepatic first-pass metabolism, potentially reducing the impact on coagulation factors and liver protein synthesis. Regular and comprehensive laboratory monitoring is also a key mechanism to ensure hormone levels remain within a therapeutic and physiological range, thereby reducing the risk of supraphysiological effects.
We use cookies to personalize content and marketing, and to analyze our traffic. This helps us maintain the quality of our free resources. manage your preferences below.
Detailed Cookie Preferences
This helps support our free resources through personalized marketing efforts and promotions.
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website, improving user experience and website performance.
Personalization cookies enable us to customize the content and features of our site based on your interactions, offering a more tailored experience.