VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH?
Aging is a physiological process associated with structural and functional changes in vasculature, including endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffening and remodeling, impaired angiogenesis, and defective vascular repair, and with an increasing prevalence of atherosclerosis. The risk of cardiovasc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2012-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2012.00165/full |
| _version_ | 1811203135471878144 |
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| author | Susana eNovella Susana eNovella Ana Paula eDantas Gloria eSegarra Gloria eSegarra Pascual eMedina Pascual eMedina Carlos eHermenegildo Carlos eHermenegildo |
| author_facet | Susana eNovella Susana eNovella Ana Paula eDantas Gloria eSegarra Gloria eSegarra Pascual eMedina Pascual eMedina Carlos eHermenegildo Carlos eHermenegildo |
| author_sort | Susana eNovella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aging is a physiological process associated with structural and functional changes in vasculature, including endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffening and remodeling, impaired angiogenesis, and defective vascular repair, and with an increasing prevalence of atherosclerosis. The risk of cardiovascular disease differs between men and women, remaining lower in women during their fertile years and reaching values similar to their male peers after menopause. Menopause is marked by the loss of endogenous estrogen production. Therefore, estrogens have been implicated in premenopausal protection from cardiovascular disease, an assumption supported by experimental and some clinical studies, where estrogen induces protective effects in vascular endothelium. Indeed, estradiol promotes endothelial vasodilator synthesis, including NO production through increased expression and activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and modulates prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 release; the thromboxane A2 pathway plays a key role in regulating vascular tone in females in both normal and in pathophysiologic states.Contrary to experimental results, some clinical trials found no cardiovascular benefit from estrogen replacement therapy in aged postmenopausal women. These discrepancies could be due to the Timing Hypothesis which suggests that estrogen-mediated vascular benefits may occur only before the detrimental effects of aging are established in the vasculature. Thus, there is still a gap in the knowledge, understanding, and general awareness of mechanisms for cardiovascular aging in women.In this review, we discuss clinical and experimental data on the effects of aging, estrogens and hormonal replacement therapy on vascular function of females to delve into how menopause and aging contribute jointly to vascular aging and how estrogen modulates the vascular responses at different ages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:50:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-574910124abc4503862af8bf40eb85ec |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:50:37Z |
| publishDate | 2012-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-574910124abc4503862af8bf40eb85ec2022-12-22T03:51:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2012-06-01310.3389/fphys.2012.0016522885VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH?Susana eNovella0Susana eNovella1Ana Paula eDantas2Gloria eSegarra3Gloria eSegarra4Pascual eMedina5Pascual eMedina6Carlos eHermenegildo7Carlos eHermenegildo8University of ValenciaHospital Clinico UniversitarioHospital Clinic BarcelonaUniversity of ValenciaHospital Clinico UniversitarioUniversity of ValenciaHospital Clinico UniversitarioUniversity of ValenciaHospital Clinico UniversitarioAging is a physiological process associated with structural and functional changes in vasculature, including endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffening and remodeling, impaired angiogenesis, and defective vascular repair, and with an increasing prevalence of atherosclerosis. The risk of cardiovascular disease differs between men and women, remaining lower in women during their fertile years and reaching values similar to their male peers after menopause. Menopause is marked by the loss of endogenous estrogen production. Therefore, estrogens have been implicated in premenopausal protection from cardiovascular disease, an assumption supported by experimental and some clinical studies, where estrogen induces protective effects in vascular endothelium. Indeed, estradiol promotes endothelial vasodilator synthesis, including NO production through increased expression and activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and modulates prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 release; the thromboxane A2 pathway plays a key role in regulating vascular tone in females in both normal and in pathophysiologic states.Contrary to experimental results, some clinical trials found no cardiovascular benefit from estrogen replacement therapy in aged postmenopausal women. These discrepancies could be due to the Timing Hypothesis which suggests that estrogen-mediated vascular benefits may occur only before the detrimental effects of aging are established in the vasculature. Thus, there is still a gap in the knowledge, understanding, and general awareness of mechanisms for cardiovascular aging in women.In this review, we discuss clinical and experimental data on the effects of aging, estrogens and hormonal replacement therapy on vascular function of females to delve into how menopause and aging contribute jointly to vascular aging and how estrogen modulates the vascular responses at different ages.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2012.00165/fullEndotheliumEstradiolMenopauseNitric OxideVascular protection |
| spellingShingle | Susana eNovella Susana eNovella Ana Paula eDantas Gloria eSegarra Gloria eSegarra Pascual eMedina Pascual eMedina Carlos eHermenegildo Carlos eHermenegildo VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? Frontiers in Physiology Endothelium Estradiol Menopause Nitric Oxide Vascular protection |
| title | VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? |
| title_full | VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? |
| title_fullStr | VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? |
| title_full_unstemmed | VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? |
| title_short | VASCULAR AGING IN WOMEN: IS ESTROGEN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? |
| title_sort | vascular aging in women is estrogen the fountain of youth |
| topic | Endothelium Estradiol Menopause Nitric Oxide Vascular protection |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2012.00165/full |
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