Claims for Patent: 6,692,763

Summary for Patent: 6,692,763

Title:	Methods for treating postmenopausal women using ultra-low doses of estrogen
Abstract:	The present invention provides methods for treating physical conditions resulting from postmenopausel estrogen decline in a postmenopausel subject, and in particular methods for reducing the risk of osteoporotic bone fractures in a postmenopausal subject. The present invention also provides a kit for carrying out the methods of the present invention.
Inventor(s):	Steven R. Cummings, Bruce Ettinger, Herman Ellman
Assignee:	University of California, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc, Permanente Medical Group Inc, University of California San Diego UCSD, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc
Application Number:	US09/554,789
Patent Claims:	1. A method for treating a physical condition resulting from estrogen decline in a postmenopausal subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an amount of estrogen which is effective to produce a resulting serum level of said estrogen in said subject that is equivalent to a serum estadiol level not exceeding of between about 5 pg/ml and about 15 pg/ml, wherein: the estrogen is administered orally, parenterally, or transdermally; said physical condition is selected from the group consisting of osteoporosis, headaches, nausea, depression, hot flashes, decrease in bone mineral density, and increased risk or incidence of bone fracture; and the resulting serum level of the estrogen is responsive to the administering of the estrogen. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical condition is selected from the group consisting of postmenopausal estrogen decline, increased risk of osteoporotic bone fracture due to postmenopausal osteoporosis, and loss of bone mineral density. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said amount of estrogen which is administered is effective to produce a serum level of said estrogen equivalent to a serum estradiol level in said subject of between about 5 pg/ml and about 10 pg/ml. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said estrogen is estradiol. 5. The method of claim 4, comprising orally administering said amount of estrogen. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is less than 0.5 mg/day. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is between 0.1-0.25 mg/day. 8. The method of claim 4, comprising parenterally administering said amount of estrogen. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is less than about 20 μg/day. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is between 5-15 μg/day. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is about 10 μg/day. 12. The method of claim 4, comprising transdermally administering said amount of estrogen. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is not more than about 15 μg per day. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is between about 5 μg and about 15 μg per day. 15. A kit for use by a consumer afflicted with or susceptible to physical conditions resulting from postmenopausal estrogen decline, said kit comprising: a) a transdermal patch for transdermally administering an estrogen in an amount that is equivalent to less than about 15 μg of estradiol per day; and b) instructions describing a method of using the transdermal patch to reduce the risk of osteoporotic bone fracture in said consumer. 16. A method for treating a physical condition resulting from estrogen decline in a postmenopausal subject, said method comprising administering transdermally an estrogen in an amount that is equivalent to less than about 20 μg of estradiol per day to said subject, in the substantial absence of exogenous progestin, wherein serum level of said estrogen in said subject is equivalent to a serum estradiol level of between about 5 pg/ml and about 15 pg/ml, and wherein said physical condition is selected from the group consisting of osteoporosis, headaches, nausea, depression, hot flashes, decrease in bone mineral density, and increased risk or incidence of bone fracture. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said physical conditions are selected from the group of postmenopausal estrogen decline, increased risk of osteoporotic bone fracture due to postmenopausal osteoporosis, and loss of bone mineral density. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said administration is prior to hysterectomy of said subject. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein said estrogen is estradiol. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of testing the serum estradiol level of the subject and determining that the serum estradiol level of the subject to be treated is normal for postmenopausal women in the same age group as the subject. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is between about 5 μg and about 15 μg per day. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is about 10 μg per day. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein said amount of estrogen administered is about 15 μg per day.