Mecanismos de acción de los efectos protectores de los estrógenos sobre el sistema cardiovascular

Abstract

A NUMBER OF CLINICAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES ARE MORE COMMON AMONG MEN THAN IN WOMEN AT REPRODUCTIVE AGES. THE PROTECTION IN WOMEN HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH ESTROGENS BLOOD LEVELS. WHEN HORMONES PRODUCTION DECLINES IN THE MENOPAUSE, THE SUSCEPTIBILITY IS SIMILAR TO THAT OBSERVED IN MEN. ALSO, REPLACEMENT HORMONE THERAPY DIMINISHES THE RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. THESE OBSERVATIONS HAVE SUPPORTED THE IDEA THAT ESTROGENS PLAY A CARDIOPROTECTIVE ROLE FOR WOMEN BEFORE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MENOPAUSAL STATE. HOWEVER, THE MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH HORMONES MODIFY THE CARDIOVAS- CULAR REACTIVITY AND THE ELEMENTS THAT INDUCE CHANGES SUCH ARE STILL NOT WELL KNOWN. ESTROGENS PARTICIPATES ON LIPOPROTEIN METABOLISM, BLOOD COAGULATION, INDUCTION OF RELAXING FACTORS FROM THE ENDOTHELIUM CELLS AND THE MODIFICATION OF BLOOD VESSELS SMOOTH MUSCLE REACTIVITY. THESE EVENTS PLAY AN IMPORTANT CARDIOPROTECTIVE ROLE. IN THIS WORK WE SHOW UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT HOW ESTROGENS ACTS UPON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND PRODUCED PROTECTIVE EFFECTS.