Breast arterial calcifications and carotid intima-media thickness and hemodynamics: Is there any association?

Abstract

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is commonly used in menopausal women for several reasons, and it has a number of useful effects. A high plasma level of estrogen protects women against arteriosclerosis in the premenopausal period. Numerous biological effects of estrogens are consistent with atheroprotection. Estrogens decrease total and LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein A and increase HDL cholesterol. Moreover, they inhibit lipoprotein oxidation and arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation and have favorable effects of soluble markers of vascular inflammation, vascular stiffness, and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. In association with the true mechanism of the protective effect of HRT on atherosclerosis, epidemiological studies have shown that HRT use was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease among postmenopausal women (2). A recent study has shown that HRT is associated with a lower level of intima-media thickness in the common carotid arteries and a lower prevalence of carotid atherosclerotic plaques (3). Cox et al. (4) observed that the BAC frequency was significantly decreased among HRT-using women more than in the non-HRT group. The frequency of BAC was significantly reduced with HRT usage for all age groups (p<0.01).