Hormone replacement therapy and hypertension.
For many years, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) was considered to be contraindicated in postmenopausal women with hypertension and many such women were excluded from HRT because of concerns that HRT may have an adverse effect on blood pressure. This perception was mainly due to the effects of oral contraceptive drugs, especially the oestrogen component, in increasing blood pressure. Differences exist between the formulation and doses of oestrogen preparations used, either as oral contraceptives in premenopausal women (in whom high-dose synthetic oestrogens are used) or as HRT in postmenopausal women (in whom low "replacement" doses of natural oestrogens are used). This is not inconsequential, as postmenopausal women represent the largest category of women at risk for hypertension. The aim of this review is to give a balanced view on the effects of HRT on blood pressure in postmenopausal women.
Felmeden
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University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D000075202:Contraindications; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D004967:Estrogens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011374:Progesterone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D004967:Estrogens; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol