New developments in topical estrogen therapy

Objective: To review new developments in transdermal E(2) therapy in postmenopausal women. Design: A bibliographic search (Medline) of the medical literature from 1966 through 1995 was used to identify new studies evaluating transdermal E(2). Patient(s): Menopausal and postmenopausal women. Result(s): Like oral estrogen, transdermal E(2) relieves menopausal symptoms, reverses urogenital atrophy, and conserves bone economy. Initial studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of transdermal E(2) on cardiovascular function. Quality of life, patient satisfaction, and compliance also improve with transdermal E(2). Advances in transdermal delivery continue to emerge, including low-dose systems and patches that maintain serum E(2) levels for a full 7-day period. Conclusion(s): New developments in transdermal administration have the potential to increase the number of postmenopausal women who accept and are compliant with long-term estrogen replacement therapy.