Submaximal exercise coronary artery flow increases in postmenopausal women without coronary artery disease after estrogen and atorvastatin.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of statins and hormone therapy on submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow in postmenopausal women without a history of coronary artery disease. Hormone therapy or statin therapy in early postmenopausal women without coronary artery disease has been shown to enhance arterial endothelial function; we hypothesized that these agents would improve submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow.

METHODS

Sixty-four postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 65 years without documented coronary artery disease, were randomized in a double-blind, crossover fashion to receive 8 weeks of hormone therapy versus placebo, with or without 80 mg/day of atorvastatin. Before receipt of any therapy and after each treatment period, each woman underwent measures of coronary artery blood flow at rest and stress.

RESULTS

The combination of hormone therapy and atorvastatin increased submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow (P = 0.04). In the subgroups of women compliant with treatment, resting coronary artery blood flow increased in those receiving hormone therapy (P = 0.03) or statin therapy (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

In postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 years without documented coronary artery disease, resting and submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow improves after receipt of high-dose atorvastatin and conjugated estrogens therapy.