Vascular disease risk factors in women with premature menopause

The vascular disease risk factor profile was studied in 21 women who had experienced a premature menopause due to bilateral oophorectomy. Compared with age-matched menstruating control subjects, oophorectomized women did not differ appreciably with respect to the prevalence of major vascular risk factors other than hyperlipidaemia, nor did they exhibit an excessive prevalence of vascular disease. In oophorectomized women not receiving hormone replacement therapy, the total serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were increased, while high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was not significantly altered. In women receiving replacement with ethinyl oestradiol, the total and LDL cholesterol were significantly decreased while HDL cholesterol was significantly increased, relative to oophorectomized women not receiving hormone replacement. The increased proportion of LDL to HDL in those not receiving hormone replacement suggests that they may be exposed to an increased theoretical long-term vascular risk, and this might justify appropriate hormone replacement in all such women, subject to certain safeguards.