Effects of hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate changes in plasma lipoprotein profile, hemostatic factors, platelet aggregation, endothelin-1, and cardiac function during postmenopausal sequential 6-month hormone replacement therapy (HRT).


METHODS
Open longitudinal prospective study.


METHODS
Gynecologic department of a medical center.


METHODS
Twenty-one healthy hysterectomized postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Oral E2 valerate (2 mg/d) combined with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) (10 mg/d) during the last 10 days of each 21-day cycle. The treatment period was 6 months.


METHODS
Plasma lipoprotein profile, hemostatic parameters, platelet aggregation, endothelin-1, and left ventricular function.


RESULTS
After 6 months of treatment, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were significantly progressively reduced. Atherogenic indices of total cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and LDL-to-HDL cholesterols also showed a significant progressive decline. The concentrations of antithrombin III were significantly increased. The maximum aggregation and slope of platelet aggregation were significantly reduced, but all parameters were more pronounced at 1 month of HRT than at 3 or 6 months. The concentrations of endothelin-1 were significantly reduced (by 16.1%). In the evaluation of left ventricular function, only peak atrial diastolic velocity was significantly reduced.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined HRT had favorable effects on lipids and lipoproteins, hemostatic factors, platelet aggregation, endothelin-1, and left ventricular function. However, further study is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of combined HRT, especially on platelet aggregation and cardiac function.
Chen
F P
FP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Lee
N
N
Wang
C H
CH
Cherng
W J
WJ
Soong
Y K
YK
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D019332:Endothelin-1; D008074:Lipoproteins; D004958:Estradiol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate