Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Atherosclerosis and Estrogen Replacement Therapy

  • Chapter
Women’s Health in Menopause

Part of the book series: Medical Science Symposia Series ((MSSS,volume 7))

Abstract

A Mayo Clinic Study published 40 years ago demonstrated that women who have had a bilateral oophrectomy have severe coronary stenosis as frequently as men of similar age [1]. Early reports from The Framingham Heart Study clearly indicated that menopause, regardless of age at onset, was associated with a marked increase in cardiovascular disease; of about 3½-fold when menopause occurs around 40 years of age and about 2-fold when menopause occurs after 50 years of age [2]. Prior to menopause, women have fewer heart attacks than men. At menopause, ovarian function diminishes and estrogen production declines. Therefore, it has been speculated that estrogens have cardioprotective effects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Wuerst JH Jr, Dry TJ, Edwards JE. The degree of coronary atherosclerosis in bilaterally oophorectomized women. Circulation 1953;7:801–809.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Castelli WP, Anderson KM. A population at risk. Am J Med 1986;80(2A):23–32.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. The Coronary Drug Project Research Group. The coronary drug project: Initial findings leading to modifications of its research protocol. JAMA 1970;214:1303–1313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. The Coronary Drug Project Research Group. The coronary drug project: Findings leading to discontinuation of the 2.5-mg/day estrogen group. JAMA 1973;226:652–657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Psaty BM, Heckbert SR, Atkins D et al. A review of the association of estrogens and progestins with cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Arch Intern Med 1993;153:1423–1427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Wolf PH, Madans JH, Finucane FF et al. Reduction of cardiovascular disease-related mortality among postmenopausal women who use hormones: evidence from a national cohort. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991;164:489–494.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Henderson BE, Paganini-Hill A, Ross RK. Decreased mortality in users of estrogen replacement therapy. Arch Intern Med 1991;151:75–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Willitt WC et al. Postmenopausal estrogen therapy and cardiovascular disease. Ten-year follow-up from the Nurses’ Health Study. N Engl J Med 1991;325:756–762.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sullivan JM, Vander Zwaag R, Lemp GF et al. Postmenopausal estrogen use and coronary atherosclerosis. Ann Intern Med 1988;108:358–363.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gruchow HW, Anderson AJ, Barboriak JJ et al. Postmenopausal use of estrogen and occlusion of coronary arteries. Am Heart J 1988;115(5):954–963.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. McFarland KF, Boniface ME, Hornung CA et al. Risk factors and noncontraceptive estrogen use in women with and without coronary disease. Am Heart J 1989;117(6):1209–1214.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hong MK, Romm PA, Reagan K et al. Effects of estrogen replacement therapy on serum lipid values and angiographically defined coronary artery disease in postmenopausal women. Am J Cardiol 1992;69:176–178.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Sullivan JM, Vander Zwaag R, Hughes JP et al. Estrogen replacement and coronary artery disease - effect on survival in postmenopausal women. Arch Intern Med 1990;150:2557–2562.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bush TL, Barrett-Connor E, Cowan LD et al. Cardiovascular mortality and noncontraceptive use of estrogen in women: Results from the Lipid Research Clinics Program Follow-up Study. Circulation 1987;75(6):1102–1109.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Sacks FM, Walsh BW. The effect of reproductive hormones on serum lipoproteins: unresolved issues in biology and clinical practice. Annals N.Y. Acad Sci 1990;592:272–285.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Clarkson TB, Shively CA, Morgan T et al. Oral contraceptives and coronary artery atherosclerosis of cynomolgous monkeys. Obstet Gynecol 1990;75:217–222.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Maseri A, Mimmo R, Chierchia S et al. Coronary artery spasm as a cause of acute myocardial ischemia in man. Chest 1975;68:625–633.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Furchgott RF, Zawadzk JV. The obligatory role of endothelial cellsin the relaxation of arterial smooth muscle by acethycholine. Nature 1980;288:373–376.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ignarro LJ, Byrns RE, Buga GM et al. Endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) released from artery and vein appears to be nitric oxide (NO) or a closely related radical species. Fed Proc 1987;46:644.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Ludmer PL, Selwyn AP, Shook TL et al. Paradoxical vasoconstriction induced by acetylcholine in atherosclerotic coronary arteries. N Engl J Med 1986;315:1046–1051.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Williams JK, Adams MR, Klopfenstein HS. Estrogen modulates responses of atherosclerotic coronary arteries. Circulation 1990;81:1680–1687.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Fogelberg M, Vesterquist O, Dicfalusy et al. Experimental atherosclerosis: effects of estrogen and atherosclerosis on thromboxane and prostacyclin formation. Europ J Clin Invest 1990;20:105–110.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ernster VL, Bush TL, Hugkins GR et al. Benefits and risks of estrogen and/or progestin hormone use. Prey Med 1988;17:201–223.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Dupont WD, Page DL. Menopausal estrogen replacement therapy and breast cancer. Arch Intern Med 1991;151:67–72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Steinberg KK, Thacker SB, Smith J et al. A meta-analysis of the effect of estrogen replacement therapy on the risk of breast cancer. JAMA 1991;265:1985–1989.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Barrett-Connor E, Wingard DL, Criqui MH. Postmenopausal estrogen use and heart disease risk factors in the 1980’s. Rancho Bernardo, California revisited. JAMA 1989;267:2095–2100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Nabulsi AA, Folsom AR, White A et al. Association of hormone-replacement therapy with various cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women. N Engl J Med 1993;328:1069–1075.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Falkeborn M, Persson I, Adami H-O et al. The risk of acute myocardial infarction after oestrogen and oestrogen-progestogen replacement. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1992;99:821–828.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Nachtigall LE, Nachtigall RH, Nachtigall RD et al. Estrogen replacement therapy II: A prospective study in the relationship to carcinoma and cardiovascular and metabolic problems. Obstet Gynecol 1979;54(1):74–79.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiovascular Diseases Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, 38163, USA

    Jay M. Sullivan

Authors
  1. Jay M. Sullivan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    P. G. Crosignani

  2. Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    R. Paoletti

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    P. M. Sarrel

  4. Department of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    N. K. Wenger

  5. Clinica Menopausa, Milan, Italy

    M. Meschia (Assistant Editor) (Assistant Editor)

  6. Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    M. Soma (Assistant Editor) (Assistant Editor)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sullivan, J.M. (1994). Atherosclerosis and Estrogen Replacement Therapy. In: Crosignani, P.G., Paoletti, R., Sarrel, P.M., Wenger, N.K., Meschia, M., Soma, M. (eds) Women’s Health in Menopause. Medical Science Symposia Series, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1024-2_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1024-2_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4446-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1024-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation