Midlife Cholesterol Study

Summary

The postmenopausal state is associated with an increase risk for heart disease. Much of this increase in risk may be due to the loss of estrogen (the main female hormone) and the effect of this loss on lipids (blood fats). This loss of estrogen is often treated by estrogen replacement therapy. Estrogen replacement therapy seems to have a beneficial effect on lipid levels. The purpose of this research study is to understand 1) how menopause affects lipids and 2) how hormone replacement therapy effects the lipid metabolism of postmenopausal women.

Timeline

Start

1998-07

Primary completion

—

Completion

2005-05

Publications

• Background Carr MC, Hokanson JE, Deeb SS, Purnell JQ, Mitchell ES, Brunzell JD. A hepatic lipase gene promoter polymorphism attenuates the increase in hepatic lipase activity with increasing intra-abdominal fat in women. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1999 Nov;19(11):2701-7. doi: 10.1161/01.atv.19.11.2701.
• Background Carr MC, Kim KH, Zambon A, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Casazza CP, Purnell JQ, Hokanson JE, Brunzell JD, Schwartz RS. Changes in LDL density across the menopausal transition. J Investig Med. 2000 Jul;48(4):245-50.

Drugs

Indications