SAN FRANCISCO-Hormone-replacement therapy has been suggested as a solo approach to lowering lipids for many hypercholesteremic women after menopause.
An Australian study found that HRT by itself equaled an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor alone and bettered the combined treatments.
Both regimens alone significantly dropped total cholesterol and LDLs and raised HDLs. But a 33% drop in Lp(a) levels with HRT alone was attenuated when the treatments were combined, said Dr. Susan Davis of the Jean Hailes Center in Clayton, Victoria.
In the crossover trial, 61 hypercholesteremic women got eight weeks of 10 mg/day of simvastatin or 1.25 mg/day of conjugated equine estrogen plus 5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate. Then 22 got both, she told the International Congress of Endocrinology meeting here.
But Rush’s Dr. Michael Davidson says his similar study showed an additive effect with both therapies, reducing LDLs more than the 15% that HRT did alone. -Judy Ismach
