OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of positive properties and side effects of raloxifene 
treatment with respect to its potential use as agent to improve women's health 
and quality of life in postmenopausal years.
DESIGN: A review article.
SETTING: Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Charles University 2nd Medical 
Faculty and Teaching Hospital Motol, Prague.
SUBJECT: Estrogen use may protect against osteoporosis and cardiovascular 
disease, but may increase the risk of breast cancer in long-term treated women 
and also may increase the risk of irregular uterine bleeding (in combination 
with gestagen in non-hysterectomized women) in perimenopause and postmenopause. 
Drugs with tissue-specific estrogenic effects are termed selective estrogen 
receptor modulators (SERM). Tamoxifen is the first SERM successfully used in the 
prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Another SERM raloxifene is widely 
used in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, especially 
in women without climacteric complaints. Therapy with raloxifene increases bone 
mineral density, lowers serum concentrations of total and low-density 
lipoprotein cholesterol, and does not stimulate endometrium and breast. 
Evaluation of another potential positive effects (reducing size of uterine 
leiomyomas, etc.) warrants further investigation.
CONCLUSION: Raloxifene can be used in postmenopausal women free of climacteric 
symptoms for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with no 
increased risk of thrombosis and with the advantage of positive side effects 
during the treatment.