OBJECTIVE: To review screening guidelines for cardiometabolic disease in aging patients and review literature describing the effect of hormone THERAPY (HT) on several key cardiometabolic processes to inform providers caring for older TRANSGENDER individuals.
METHODS: A traditional literature review was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar databases.
RESULTS: The risk of cardiovascular disease increases with age. Exogenous sex hormones may interact with hormone-dependent metabolic pathways and affect some biochemical assays, but they do not necessarily impact clinical outcomes. While long-term HT is associated with an increased risk of some adverse cardiovascular outcomes, modern treatment regimens minimize this risk.
CONCLUSION: Screening for cardiometabolic derangements and risk reduction are important for all aging individuals. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to propose separate screening recommendations for TRANSGENDER individuals on long-term HT. Aging TRANSGENDER men AND women should be monitored for cardiovascular disease in much the same way as their cisgender counterparts.
