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).