17-beta-Estradiol therapy lessens angina in postmenopausal women with syndrome X.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate the hypothesis that estrogen replacement therapy ameliorates symptoms in postmenopausal women with syndrome X.


BACKGROUND
Syndrome X (angina pectoris, positive findings on exercise electrocardiography and normal results on coronary angiography) frequently occurs in menopausal women. This observation, in conjunction with the known vasoactive properties of estrogens, suggests that estrogen depletion may contribute to the pathogenesis of syndrome X in some women.


METHODS
Twenty-five postmenopausal patients with syndrome X completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of 17-beta-estradiol cutaneous patches (100 micrograms/24 h) on the frequency of chest pain and on exercise tolerance. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 17-beta-estradiol patches for 8 weeks and were then crossed over to the other treatment.


RESULTS
During the placebo phase, patients had a mean of 7.3 episodes of chest pain/10 days. A reduction to 3.7 episodes/10 days was observed during the 17-beta-estradiol phase (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the effects of 17-beta-estradiol and placebo on exercise duration or the results of other cardiologic investigations.


CONCLUSIONS
Estrogen replacement reduces the frequency of chest pain and may be a useful new therapeutic option for treating postmenopausal women with syndrome X.
Department of Cardiac Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, London, England, United Kingdom.
G M
GM
Rosano
N S
NS
Peters
D
D
Lefroy
D C
DC
Lindsay
P M
PM
Sarrel
P
P
Collins
P A
PA
Poole-Wilson
D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D004958:Estradiol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes
D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D004958:Estradiol