Effects of estradiol alone and combined with norethisterone acetate on pulse-wave velocity in hypertensive postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND

Arterial hypertension and postmenopausal reduction of estrogen levels may be involved in modifications of the stiffness of large arteries.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and indirectly the arterial stiffness in hypertensive postmenopausal women submitted to hormone therapy with estradiol alone or combined with norethisterone acetate.

SUBJECTS

Forty-five hypertensive postmenopausal women were double-blindly, randomly assigned to three arms of treatment: placebo (group I); estradiol 2 mg/day (group II); or estradiol 2 mg/day and norethisterone acetate 1 mg/day (group III).

METHODS

Arterial stiffness was assessed from PWV measurements of the common carotid and femoral arteries (CF-PWV) and the common carotid and radial arteries (CR-PWV) obtained using the automatic Complior(R) device, taken at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

After the 12-week treatment, values of CF-PWV and CR-PWV were not significantly different (p = 0.910 and p = 0.736, respectively) among the groups. Systolic blood pressure showed a positive correlation with CF-PWV in groups II and III (p = 0.02 and p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

PWV and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal hypertensive women did not reduce over a 12-week treatment with estradiol alone compared with the same period of treatment with estradiol combined with norethisterone acetate.