The effects of different types and doses of oestrogen replacement therapy on clinic and ambulatory blood pressure and the renin–angiotensin system in normotensive postmenopausal women

Abstract

In normotensive postmenopausal women, replacement doses of natural and semisynthetic oestrogen reduce night-time ambulatory blood pressure with either no change or a small reduction in clinic blood pressure. Reduction in blood pressure is not explained by reduced activity of the renin-angiotensin system but could have a component of reduced central sympathetic drive consistent with the decreased heart rate.