HRT Debate Dictionary

testosterone: A steroid hormone which can serve to prevent osteoporosis and raise libido.

transdermal patch: A medicated patch which administers drugs into the bloodstream through the skin; an option for delivery of certain types of HRT.

un-opposed estrogen therapy: A form of HRT usually given to women with hysterectomies, in which estrogens are prescribed without any progestins.

uterine cancer: General term for the various cancers which occur in the uterus; the risk of uterine cancer has been seen to increase among women on HRT.

WHI: Women's Health Initiative; a study of the health of older women which began in 1991 and shed light on the potential drawbacks of HRT.

Wiley Protocol: A controversial form of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy developed by T.S. Wiley in which women take a series of monthly pills meant to recreate the hormone levels in younger, menstruating women.