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Exercise-induced aortic flow parameters in early postmenopausal women and middle-aged men
1Department of Internal Medicine, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Journal of Internal Medicine
|June 17, 1998
Summary
Early postmenopausal women exhibit higher hemodynamic and aortic flow parameters than middle-aged men during rest and exercise. These findings highlight potential gender-specific cardiovascular differences during menopausal transition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Exercise Echocardiography
- Gender Differences in Health
Background:
- Exercise Doppler echocardiography is a validated tool for assessing left ventricular function in coronary artery disease.
- Limited data exists on gender-specific aortic flow dynamics during exercise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare basal ejection Doppler indexes between healthy early postmenopausal women and middle-aged men.
- To evaluate the impact of isometric and dynamic exercises on these parameters in both groups.
Main Methods:
- An intergroup comparison was conducted between 15 healthy early postmenopausal women (mean age 55) and 15 healthy middle-aged men (mean age 52).
- Participants underwent Echo Doppler examination at rest and peak isometric and dynamic exercise.
- Exercises included isometric (2-hand bar dynamometer) and dynamic (supine ergometer) protocols.
Main Results:
- Both isometric and dynamic exercises led to statistically significant increases in hemodynamic parameters in women compared to men.
- Aortic flow parameters at rest and during exercise were significantly higher in women than in men.
Conclusions:
- Early postmenopausal women demonstrated unexpectedly higher hemodynamic and aortic flow parameters compared to middle-aged men.
- These results suggest unique gender-related cardiovascular function aspects in this age group, potentially linked to menopausal transition.