Physiologic estradiol replacement therapy and cardiac structure and function in normal postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial

To assess the effect of estradiol (E2) replacement therapy on cardiac structure and function in healthy postmenopausal women.

We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of 31 healthy postmenopausal female volunteer study subjects (55-65 years) using 12 weeks of micronized E2 replacement therapy (2 mg/day). Echocardiography and Doppler techniques were used to assess the cardiac effects of E2 at rest and during graded bicycle ergometry.

Crossover analysis demonstrated no carryover effects of estrogen treatment (which increased serum E2 15-fold to 37.6 pmol/L) on the cardiac characteristics measured. Estradiol treatment did not affect measurements of systolic function, diastolic function, left ventricular mass, or pulmonary artery pressure at rest or during bicycle ergometry. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume at rest was slightly higher with E2 treatment (P = .03). However, this change was not reflected by changes in stroke volume, ejection fraction, or cardiac output.

Estrogen replacement therapy, which results in physiologic serum concentrations, does not affect cardiac structure or function in normal postmenopausal women after 12 weeks of treatment.