METABOLIC AND HORMONAL EFFECTS OF POST-MENOPAUSAL OESTROGEN REPLACEMENT TREATMENT

: The influence of daily oral cyclical estrogen therapy on the plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels in postmenopausal women was determined. Included were 39 women with distressing postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms. Ethinyl estradiol (EE2) .05 mg was given to 20 women and estradiol valerinate (EV) to 19 others. The drugs were given as tablets once daily for 3-week cycles with 1-week intervals. After overnight fasts, blood samples were taken before and during treatment at 1, 3, and 6 months. During EV therapy, the HDL-TC and the HDL-phosphlipid concentrations increased 10-15% after 6 cycles. The net effect on the risk of development of ischemic cardiovascular disease due to the change in plasma lipids induced by EE2 is uncertain. The plasma lipid changes during EV therapy might possibly retard the development of atherosclerosis. However, the lipid metabolism of postmenopausal women may be different from that of fertile women.