A study of testosterone supplementation in older men was terminated after daily application of a testosterone gel was associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) adverse events. The study involved 209 men aged 65 years and older (mean age 74 years) who had limitations in mobility and a total serum testosterone level of 100-350 ng/dL. At baseline, subjects had a high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. During the course of the study, the testosterone-treated men had significantly greater improvements in strength but also higher rates of cardiac, respiratory, and dermatologic events than those taking a placebo. CV-related adverse events occurred in 23 treated men versus five placebo recipients, Shehzad Basaria, MD, and colleagues reported online in The New England Journal of Medicine.
