Effect of estrogen/progestin potency on lipid/lipoprotein cholesterol

The effects of 10 hormone preparations (having various estrogen/progestin potencies) on plasma levels of lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol were evaluated in a study of 374 women taking oral contraceptives (OC), 284 women taking estrogens after menopause, and 1086 women taking no hormones (control group). Premenopausal women taking oral contraceptives containing a low estrogen and medium-to-high progestin level had 24% higher median low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels than the controls; women taking OC containing a high estrogen and low progestin level had higher HDL cholesterol level than controls. The use of estrogen in postmenopausal women was associated with levels of LDL cholesterol that were 11-19% below the control postmenopausal women. The effects of estrogen-progestin balance on low-density and high-density lipoproteins may be associated with increased stroke and myocardial infarction incidence in women of child-bearing age taking OC. (wz)