Postmenopausal smokers show reduced hemodynamic benefit from oral hormone replacement

With use of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 62 healthy, postmenopau sal smokers and nonsmokers were tested for resting and stress-induced hemod ynamic variables before and after 6 months of treatment with either oral ho rmone replacement therapy or placebo. Smokers had significantly less reduct ion in both resting and stress-induced vascular resistance and blood pressu re after treatment with oral hormone replacement therapy than nonsmokers.