[Influence of hormone replacement therapy on the quality of life in postmenopausal women with hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
The effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the quality of life in women with hypertension is still not clear. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess the effect of hormone replacement therapy on quality of life in postmenopausal women with essential hypertension by using a battery of standardized questionnaires.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 53 women (mean age 50.9 +/- 6.3 years) with mild and moderate essential hypertension (mean duration 6.4 +/- 6.4 years). The postmenopausal status was defined as the absence of menstrual blood loss during > 6 months and blood estradiol concentration < 50 pg/ml, accompanied by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels > 21 U/I. Twenty seven women were blindly randomised to transdermal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and received 17-beta-estradiol and noretisterone acetate, TTS. Twenty six women were randomly selected as controls. The subjects were evaluated at baseline (after 2 weeks' wash-out from hypotensive drug period) and after three months of HRT using self-administered standardized quality of life questionnaires: the Psychological General Well-being Index (PGWB) and the Subjective Symptoms Assessment Profile (SSA-P).


RESULTS
No differences were found in blood pressure values, heart rate, body mass index and distribution of body fat tissue between women receiving HRT and controls at baseline and after 3 months of follow-up. There were no significant differences in the baseline total PGWB score as well as in its subscale between two groups. Similarly, the frequency and intensity of subjective symptoms assessed by SSA-profile were the same in both groups at baseline. After 3 months, a significant improvement in PGWB total score was observed in women receiving HRT. This effect was due to improvement in anxiety, positive well-being and vitality. Moreover, emotional distress, symptoms of flushing, sweating and trembling hands also diminished and sexual capacity improved in women treated with HRT.


CONCLUSIONS
A three-month hormone replacement therapy in hypertensive postmenopausal women slightly improves the general well-being, seems to decrease emotional tension, increase sexual capacity and markedly relieves some vasomotor symptoms.
Czarnecka
D
D
I Klinika Kardiologii, Collegium Medicum, Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w Krakowie.
Klocek
M
M
Betkowska-Korpała
B
B
Jankowski
P
P
Olszanecka
A
A
Kawecka-Jaszcz
K
K
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004338:Drug Combinations; C418365:estradiol, norethindrone drug combination; D004958:Estradiol; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D009640:Norethindrone