Abstract
We aimed to study the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women on lipoproteins ,blood coagulation ,arterial blood pressure and markers of atherosclerosis. A total of 186 postmenopausal women were studied; 98 used HRT (0.625 mg 17 β-estradiol plus 10 mg progestin) and were followed for 48 months ,and were matched with 98 women without therapy. Low-density lipoproteins ,high-density lipoproteins ,triglycerides ,antithrombin III ,systolic and diastolic arterial pressure and intima–media thickness were measured at 6 ,12 ,24 ,38 and 48 months. In users of HRT ,we found a significant reduction of the lipoproteins ,triglycerides ,systolic and diastolic pressures and intima–media thickness; however ,we found an increase in high-density lipoproteins and anthitrombin III in comparison with non-users. This study has shown a protective effect of HRT on such risk factors and on certain markers of atherosclerosis.