The effects of gender-affirming hormone therapy on cardiovascular and skeletal health: A literature review

Abstract

Approximately 1.5 million people in the United States currently identify as transgender. The use of gender affirming hormone therapy is integral to routine clinical care of transgender individuals, yet our understanding of the effects of this therapy is limited. There are reasons to believe that gender affirming hormone therapy may have important effects on cardiovascular risk and bone health in transgender individuals. The purpose of this review article is to summarize the evidence for the cardiovascular effects (including coronary artery disease, hypertension and stroke) as well as the effects on bone metabolism associated with gender affirming hormone therapy in both transgender men and transgender women.

Keywords

• Transgender
• Gender-affirming hormone therapy
• Cardiometabolic
• Bone mineral density
• Trabecular bone score