Clinical studies have led to the suggestion that estrogen deficiency or estrogen-progestin
imbalance may be associated with an increased incidence of cardiac arrhythmias such
as those occurring during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, during oral contraceptive
treatment, and during pregnancy and menopause.
1
,
2
,
3
In particular, menopause is associated with an increased incidence of palpitations,
most of which are due to supraventricular arrhythmia. These palpitations may be partially
related to the alteration of the autonomic nervous control of the cardiovascular system,
and partially to the changes in the ovarian hormone profile, which occur with menopause.
If the electophysiologic properties of estrogen shown in vitro are proved to occur
also in vivo, then the lack of these hormones may be responsible, in part, for the
palpitations reported during menopause. This study investigates whether the acute
administration of estradiol 17β has an effect on the electrophysiology of the human
heart in menopausal women.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
- Cyclical variation in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in women.Lancet. 1996; 347: 786-788
- Palpitations.Int J Fert. 1997; 42: 94-100
- Arrhythmias in pregnancy.in: Gleicher N Principles of Medical Therapy in Pregnancy. Plenum, New York1988: 710-725
- Interactions between estrogens and catecholamines, III.J Clin Endocrinol. 1972; 34: 736-746
- Effect of estrogen replacement therapy upon the autonomic nervous system in menopausal women.Am J Cardiol. 1997; 80: 815-817
- Estrogen receptors and effects on membrane electrical properties of coronary vascular smooth muscle.J Cell Physiol. 1979; 100: 375-382
- Effect of 17β oestradiol on contraction, Ca2+ current and intracellular free Ca2+ in guinea pig isolated cardiac myocites.Br J Pharmacol. 1992; 106: 739-745
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 23,
2000
Received in revised form:
June 23,
2000
Received:
April 10,
2000
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
