title: Effects of raloxifene therapy on plasma renin and aldosterone levels and blood pressure in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Blood pressure, which generally increases after menopause, is one of the best tools to characterize cardiovascular disease. The renin-aldosterone system plays a role in determining cardiovascular risk and the role of estrogen in the regulation of angiotensinogen gene expression and serum levels is well known. Raloxifene can induce endothelium-dependent vasodilation without affecting endothelium-independent vasorelaxation. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of raloxifene on the renin-aldosterone system and blood pressure in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty women, 54-59 years of age, in physiological menopause for 6 months to 4 years, were enrolled in the study and treated with raloxifene 60 mg/day for 6 months. All had blood pressure less than 130/85 mm Hg at the start of the study. The women were divided into two groups: the first (group A; 20 women) with normal blood pressure and the second (group B; 20 women) with previous high blood pressure treated with antihypertensive drugs, not angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) or plasma concentrations of aldosterone were observed between the two groups after 6 months of raloxifene use. There was a slight reduction in PRA (11+/-4% for group A and 13+/-5% for group B) and in plasma levels of aldosterone (3.6+/-0.5% and 4.6+/-0.5%, respectively) with respect to basal values, but neither change was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study show that raloxifene at 60 mg/day dose is well tolerated and has no clinical impact on blood pressure, PRA or aldosterone in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morgante
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delia
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Musacchio
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Severi
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petraglia
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Leo
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy; D017698:Postmenopause; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D000450:Aldosterone; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D012083:Renin