SummaryThe serum cholesterol, trigylcerides and electrophoretic lipoprotein patterns of 35 postmenopausal women, who subsequently received sequential mestranol and norethisterone, were compared with those of 35 premenopausal women of the same age and weight. The postmenopausal women had a significantly higher level of serum cholesterol (p <0.01) than the premenopausal women, and a significant reduction (p <0.001) occurred in this group after two months of therapy. There was no significant difference in level of serum cholesterol between the premenopausal group and the postmenopausal group receiving sequential mestranol and norethisterone for two months. The serum triglycerides were not significantly higher in the postmenopausal group but there was a significant increase (p <0.001) after two months of therapy. The marked alteration in lipid levels at the menopause may in part account for the great increase in coronary artery disease in postmenopausal women but whether these changes are reversible by giving hormone therapy remains speculative.
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