Blood pressure risk factors in healthy postmenopausal women:
physical activity and hormone replacement.
Stevenson, Edith T., Kevin P. Davy, Pamela P. Jones, Christopher A.
Desouza, and Douglas R. Seals.
Departments of Kinesiology and Medicine, (Cardiology and Geriatric
Medicine), University of Colorado, Stevenson: Physical Activity, HRT,
and Blood Pressure
APStracts 3:0502A, 1996.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases with
advancing age in women, particularly following menopause. CVD risk is
lower in physically active women relative to their sedentary peers,
but the responsible mechanisms are not well understood. The aims of
this study were to test the hypotheses that (1) physically active
postmenopausal women demonstrate more favorable blood pressure (BP)
-related risk factors for CVD than sedentary healthy women, and (2)
women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) also have more favorable
levels of these CVD risk factors. BP-related CVD risk factors were
measured in physically active women (n=18; age 55+/-1 years; n=8 on
HRT) and in healthy, less active controls (n=34; age 59+/-1 years;
n=17 on HRT). Maximal aerobic capacity was higher in the active
group, while waist-to-hip ratio and waist circumference were lower
(all p<0.005). The active women demonstrated marginally lower
(5-8 mmHg, p
Received 28 June 1995; accepted in final form 23 September 1996.
APS Manuscript Number A698-5.
Article publication pending Journal of Applied Physiology.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 13 November 1996