AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN ON ESTROGEN, ANDROGEN OR PROGESTERONE THERAPY

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Objective: Objective of this study was to evaluate different hormone replacement therapy (HRT) combinations on ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) and body mass index (BMI) in postmenopausal women. Design and method: One hundred and fifty women 47–62 y’s of age were first on estrogen/androgen therapy, then they were without HRT therapy for three months and later on estradiol and drospirenone combined therapy. Validated, Meditech ABPM 05 was used to obtain 24-h blood pressure (BP) after each regime. All women did not change antihypertensive treatment during the study. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to examine whether there was a statistically significant difference in blood pressure and body mass index values at different hormone therapy regimens. Results: There were no significant differences in BP parameters and BMI between different therapy regimes but lowest BP and BMI values were recorded while women were on estradiol and drospirenone combined therapy. The affinity of progesterone for the mineralocorticoid receptor is about five times that of aldosterone and may well antagonize the salt-retaining effect of estrogens, and thus lowering of blood pressure. Conclusions: We may conclude that estradiol and drospirenone combined therapy lowers blood pressure and maintains a stable body weight in postmenopausal women.