Testosterone Therapy Does Not Increase Cardiovascular Risk

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) does not increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, according to a new study to be presented at the American Heart Association meeting in Chicago.

Researchers led by Jeffrey Anderson, MD, of the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Utah observed 5,695 men between the ages of 53 to 71 who were being treated for having low levels of testosterone.

They found that men who were receiving testosterone supplementation to reach normal levels of testosterone actually had reduced overall rates of major CVD events at 1 to 3 years after initial levels were measured. The lower rate of CVD risk included a reduction in adjusted death risk and heart attack incidence.

“Testosterone therapy has become very popular in the U.S. in recent years,” Dr. Anderson said. “With this study, we are getting closer to defining the true associations between testosterone treatment and CVD risks or benefits.”

Currently more than a million patients receive testosterone therapy, with men over the age of 40 making up 70% of the prescriptions. Previous studies have shown that low testosterone pose an increase CVD risk, but the risk in supplementation has not been thoroughly examined.

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