Testosterone prescriptions for older men in the United States have increased more than three-fold over the past decade. Recent studies linking testosterone use with increased risk of heart attack and stroke have caused widespread concern among patients and their families. A new U.S.-based study of more than 25,000 older men shows that testosterone therapy does not increase men’s risk for heart attack. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, examined 25,420 Medicare beneficiaries 66 years or older treated with testosterone for up to eight years.

[Photo: Dr. Jacques Baillargeon, associate professor of preventative medicine and community health]

It appears in the July 2 issue of the Annals of Pharmacotherapy. http://www.utmb.edu/newsroom/article9647.aspx