Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2002 Jun;8(2):151-164.

The Effects of Estrogen Replacement Therapy on Blood Pressure, Heart Rate Variability, and Climacteric Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women

• Lee HK

Abstract

PURPOSE: Estrogen replacement therapy is indicated for the relief of hot flushes and urogenital atrophy, the prevention of osteoporosis and the reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease. The present study assessed by blood pressure, heart rate variability, and climacteric symptoms in menopausal women before treatment and at 1 month during estrogen replacement therapy.
METHODS
The study sample consisted of 16 healthy menopausal women (range 49 to 59 years, mean : 53.4 years) attending menopausal clinics for the complaint of climateric symptoms at S. hospital in Chunchoen. They were all non-smokers and no patient had symptoms or evidence of cardiovascular disease. They took estrogen replacement therapy (conjugated estrogen 0.625 mg with or without medroxy progesteron 2.5mg) for 1 month. Blood pressure, heart rate variability(heart period and vagal tone) through ECG, and climacteric symptom were measured in all subjects before treatment and at 1 month during treatment. Climacteric symptom questionnaire which was developed by Neugarten et al.(1963) was modified with 20 items of question(Cronbach's alpha = .88 -.89). The data was collected from Sept. 1. 2000 to July. 30. 2001.
RESULTS
There was no significant difference in mean systolic and diastolic pressure between the baseline and at 1 month during treatment. The mean heart period and vagal tone were slightly increased, but difference of mean heart period and vagal tone were not statistically significant between the baseline and at 1 month during treatment. The score of climacteric symptoms decreased significantly from the baseline after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
Even though, this study did not show that estrogen replacement therapy led decrease of blood pressure and increase heart rate variability, climacteric symptoms reduced much in all subjects after taking drugs. These results suggest that there is need to repeat study with long term period.

Keyword

Estrogen replacement therapy; Blood pressure; Heart rate variability; Climacteric symptom

MeSH Terms

Atrophy
Blood Pressure*
Cardiovascular Diseases
Climacteric*
Electrocardiography
Estrogen Replacement Therapy*
Estrogens*
Female
Gangwon-do
Heart Rate*
Heart*
Humans
Osteoporosis
Surveys and Questionnaires
Estrogens