Factors influencing quality of life in older women with heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Better understanding of factors influencing the quality of life (QOL) of cardiac patients can guide treatment decisions. OBJECTIVES: To describe the impact of clinical and psychosocial factors on the QOL of older women with heart disease. RESEARCH DESIGN: Baseline and 12-month data from women participating in an intervention study. SUBJECTS: Eligible participants, identified from medical records, were female, > or = 60 years of age, and diagnosed with cardiac disease. A volunteer sample of 570 women (87% white) completed baseline interviews, with 485 women completing the 12-month assessment. MEASURES: Utilizing Wilson and Cleary's conceptual framework (1995), measures of clinical, psychosocial, and functional status were examined for their associations with QOL. RESULTS: At baseline, General Health Perceptions and Symptom Status accounted for 38% and 26%, respectively, of the variation in the QOL rating. Using logistic regression models, seven measures were significant predictors (P < 0.05) of maintenance/improvement versus decline in QOL over 12 months: baseline QOL rating; baseline value and change in satisfaction with social activities over 12 months; change in satisfaction with physical activities; change in satisfaction with mental activities; and baseline value and change in perceived stress. For women who maintained or improved their satisfaction with social activities, the odds for also maintaining or improving QOL were 4.5 times the odds for women whose satisfaction with social activities deteriorated. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction with social activities and perceived stress are important predictors of subsequent QOL. Consideration of the impact of treatments on these factors may help to prevent deterioration of QOL among older female cardiac patients.

Oral 17beta-estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate therapy in postmenopausal women increases HDL particle size.

Menopause is accompanied by changes in lipoprotein particles that include an increase in density of low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) particles. The effect of 3 months of oral hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on lipoprotein particle size in postmenopausal women who were randomized to (1) estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) alone (either 17beta-estradiol (1 mg) or conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) (0.625 mg); (2) combination therapy (17beta-estradiol plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) or CEE plus MPA); and (3) placebo were examined. Lipoprotein subclass concentrations and particle size were quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Combination HRT resulted in significant (P=0.002) increases in HDL particle size as compared with those on placebo formulations or ERT alone. Women assigned to combined HRT had lower concentrations of smaller HDL particles after 3 months (P=0.005) and higher concentrations of larger HDL particles (P=0.02), whereas women assigned to ERT or placebo experienced non-significant changes. In summary, combined HRT increases HDL particle size by altering concentrations of the smallest and largest HDL subspecies.

Hormone replacement therapy improves cardiovascular risk by lowering plasma viscosity in postmenopausal women.

Hormone replacement therapy may protect against cardiovascular disease through several mechanisms that have variable actions on the major determinants of plasma viscosity. Plasma viscosity is an important predictor of incident and recurrent cardiovascular events and mortality in coronary heart disease patients. The effect of estrogen alone or in combination with progestin on plasma viscosity is not known. Using a randomized, double-blind design, we examined the impact of the following daily hormone regimens on plasma viscosity in 23 women: (1) 1 mg estradiol and 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone (n=7); (2) 1 mg estradiol alone (n=8); and (3) placebo (n=8). Plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, and standard lipoprotein levels were determined at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. Plasma viscosity was measured at 37 degreesC with a coaxial microviscometer. Fibrinogen was measured by the Clauss method. Significant changes in plasma viscosity (mPa.s) levels occurred among treatment groups (P<0.01) after the intervention. Plasma viscosity was significantly reduced with estrogen replacement therapy (P<0.01). These data demonstrate that estrogen replacement therapy lowers plasma viscosity. This study suggests an additional mechanism for the cardiovascular protection conferred to postmenopausal women on estrogen replacement therapy.