Ultrasonographic blood flow measurement in the carotid arteries in postmenopausal women

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate blood flow in postm enopausal women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) compared to controls. Blood flow was ultrasonographically measured in the great arteries of the n eck instead of in the vessels of the internal genital organs. Methods: Fift y healthy women with climacteric complaints, at least 6 months postmenopaus al, participated in the study. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group received 2 mg estradiol (E-2) for 12 days, continued with 2 mg E- 2 and 1 mg norethisterone acetate for 10 days, followed by 1 mg E-2 for 6 d ays, cyclically during 6 months. The other group received placebo tablets t he first 3 months and the same HRT as the first group for the last 3 months . Blood flow was measured ultrasonographically by color flow pulsed Doppler in the common (CCA), internal (ICA) and external (ECA) carotid arteries, b efore the start of the study, after 3 and 6 months of therapy. Results: CCA and ICA, both low resistance vessels, and EGA, a high resistance vessel, a nd their waveforms were identified. Pulsatility index did not decrease stat istically significant (p > 0.05) in any of the great vessels during 6 month s of HRT in this study. There were no differences in blood flow between the HRT-treated group compared to control group during 3 months of therapy, ex cept for the right ECA (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The difference in blood flow and waveforms of the major arteries of the neck were clearly shown, but HR T did not have any important impact on the blood flow in this study. No dif ference was shown concerning blood flow between the two groups of postmenop ausal women, on active therapy or placebo.