Postmenopausal hormone therapy into the 21st century.

At the time of the menopause, a review of the major health issues can be especially rewarding. Besides the general issues of good health, particular attention is now being focused on prevention of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis because of the potentially beneficial effects of postmenopausal hormone therapy. Hormone therapy should be offered to most women as they consider their paths for successful aging. However, as for any pharmacological intervention, the benefits of treatment must outweigh the risk. The available data would appear to indicate that, for most women, this is in fact the case with current research into future hormonal therapies aimed at further improving the benefit:risk ratio.