HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 295/4/H1802    most recent 01222.2007v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Oneda, B. Articles by Tinucci, T. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Oneda, B. Articles by Tinucci, T.

Low-dose estrogen therapy does not change postexercise hypotension, sympathetic nerve activity reduction, and vasodilation in healthy postmenopausal women

¹Hypertension Unit, General Hospital, University of São Paulo; ²Exercise Hemodynamic Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo; and ³Gynecology and Climacteric Service, General Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Submitted 22 October 2007 ; accepted in final form 29 August 2008

The aim of this study was to determine whether estrogen therapy enhances postexercise muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) decrease and vasodilation, resulting in a greater postexercise hypotension. Eighteen postmenopausal women received oral estrogen therapy (ET; n = 9, 1 mg/day) or placebo (n = 9) for 6 mo. They then participated in one 45-min exercise session (cycle ergometer at 50% of oxygen uptake peak) and one 45-min control session (seated rest) in random order. Blood pressure (BP, oscillometry), heart rate (HR), MSNA (microneurography), forearm blood flow (FBF, plethysmography), and forearm vascular resistance (FVR) were measured 60 min later. FVR was calculated. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. Although postexercise physiological responses were unaltered, HR was significantly lower in the ET group than in the placebo group (59 ± 2 vs. 71 ± 2 beats/min, P < 0.01). In both groups, exercise produced significant decreases in systolic BP (145 ± 3 vs. 154 ± 3 mmHg, P = 0.01), diastolic BP (71 ± 3 vs. 75 ± 2 mmHg, P = 0.04), mean BP (89 ± 2 vs. 93 ± 2 mmHg, P = 0.02), MSNA (29 ± 2 vs. 35 ± 1 bursts/min, P < 0.01), and FVR (33 ± 4 vs. 55 ± 10 units, P = 0.01), whereas it increased FBF (2.7 ± 0.4 vs. 1.6 ± 0.2 ml·min^–1·100 ml^–1, P = 0.02) and did not change HR (64 ± 2 vs. 65 ± 2 beats/min, P = 0.3). Although ET did not change postexercise BP, HR, MSNA, FBF, or FVR responses, it reduced absolute HR values at baseline and after exercise.

postmenopause; aerobic exercise; muscle sympathetic nerve activity; blood pressure