Testosterone therapy may raise cardiovascular risk after menopause

Key Points:

• New research presented at The Menopause Society's 2026 meeting found that postmenopausal women using testosterone therapy had a higher incidence (3.8%) of first-time cardiovascular events compared to 0.5% in those not using the therapy.
• The cardiovascular events observed included heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and other related problems, raising concerns about the safety of testosterone therapy in this population.
• Experts emphasize that while the findings are significant, the observational nature of the study means it cannot establish causation, and other health factors may have influenced the results.
• Physicians are advised to carefully evaluate a patient’s overall health and cardiovascular risk before prescribing testosterone therapy, balancing potential benefits for sexual health against possible heart risks.
• Ongoing monitoring and individualized dosing are recommended for women undergoing testosterone treatment, and further research is needed to clarify the therapy’s safety profile.