Natural oestrogen as an effective treatment for type-II hyperlipoproteinaemia in postmenopausal women.

Seventeen postmenopausal women with raised serum total and low-density-lipoprotein (L.D.L.) cholesterol concentrations were treated with oestradiol valerinate for 6 months. Serum-L.D.L.-cholesterol decreased in sixteen patients--the average change at 6 months was -18%. Serum-high-density-lipoprotein (H.D.L.) cholesterol increased by 30% during treatment and the mean H.D.L./L.D.L. cholesterol molar ratio rose significantly from 0.21 to 0.34. There was a significant positive correlation between the size of the decrease in L.D.L. cholesterol and initial L.D.L.-cholesterol concentration. Serum triglyceride and very-low-density-lipoprotein (V.L.D.L.) concentrations were not significantly changed by the treatment. The results suggest that type II hypercholesterolaemia may be taken as another indication for oestrogen therapy in postmenopausal women.