Transdermal estrogens do not appear to modify the extent of lesional areas of aortic atherosclerosis in oophorectomized rabbits on a cholesterol-rich diet.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in older women in industrialised countries. It has been suggested that it is the cessation of estrogen production by the ovaries that puts postmenopausal women at increased risk of CVD. Estrogen therapy has demonstrated a protective effect against CVD and several reports suggest that diverse mechanisms may be involved. Oral estrogen appears to be associated with a better lipid profile than the use of transdermal estrogens; however, it is assumed that estrogens, oral and non-oral, have direct actions on the blood vessels that may exert an important role in cardiovascular disease prevention. To investigate the effect of transdermal es…